Re: NCSA patents on MOSAIC ???!!!

I read months ago that Netscape Communications had been sued
by Spyglass for patent infringement.  I didn't pay much heed then,
but you're right -- this could be important.  Does anyone have any 
more detailed or factual info?

--linas

(The suit was filed round Comdex time, where Netscape had upstaged 
Spyglass in the glitz & hype department, despite Spyglasses "older"
product.  I thought the suit concerned secure transactions, 
e.g. crypto for financial transactions ??? ).

> From: Leonardo@aol.com
> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 1995 19:24:48 -0500
> Subject: NCSA patents on MOSAIC ???!!!
> 
> WARNING:
> 
> An article published in last Sunday's Chicago Tribune suggests that the
> University of Illinois has applied for several patents on technology relating
> to MOSAIC.  If this is true, then they appear to be getting ready for a
> Unisys/Compuserve-style "hook them then cook them" move against the Internet
> community.
> 
> Here's an excerpt from the article:
> 
> >TITLE: "Microsoft deal lights up Naperville software innovator"
> >
> >By Ronald E. Yates
> >Tribune Staff Writer
> >Printed 1/22/95
> >
> >...Microsoft was eager for the Spyglass deal because the young 
> >company controls the patents to Mosaic, the original software that 
> >converts the complexities of the Internet into a mouse-controlled 
> >graphical form. Mosaic makes the entire Internet look much like 
> >what computer users encounter on their desktops with Microsoft 
> > >Windows or the Apple Macintosh...
> 
> This may have just been a factual error on the part of the Tribune writer,
> but the potential seriousness of what it suggests must not be ignored.

Received on Wednesday, 25 January 1995 16:59:40 UTC