Re: CSS patent

Joseph M. Reagle Jr. (reagle@MIT.EDU)
Wed, 03 Mar 1999 09:22:46 -0500


At 04:55 PM 2/26/99 -0500, Kragen Sitaker wrote:
>stylesheets have been around for decades, right? Yet Microsoft,
>reportedly the W3C, and all the members of the press are talking as if
>Microsoft's patents covered CSS.

Patents are tricky. Unfortunately, it is up to those defending against a
patent claim to define what it doesn't cover, and prove it in court;
otherwise it is this amorphous blob. Until one has a well founded opinion, I
don't know if public statements by a legal entity that a patent is invalid
is likely to get it into trouble (as an infringer (treble damages), poor
legal advice, or "slander" of some sort.) Before one makes such a statement,
prudence would demand a careful analysis so you can back up your position.

Regardless, all software patents are evil. <grin>
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