Re: The way to use wgnplot in MSVC complied octave 2.9.12.

[David Bateman]

Michael Goffioul wrote:
> On 6/1/07, Paul Kienzle <address@hidden> wrote:
>> the mathworks claims to have the name 'handles' trademarked.  I suspect
>> a reasonable person would construe 'jhandles' has infringing.  But
>> IANAL so I don't know this to be the case.
>>
>>        - Paul
>
> Looking at
> http://www.mathworks.com/company/pressroom/editorial_guidelines.html
>
> I understand that "Handle Graphics" is trademarked. Anyway, it's probably
> safer to use another name. I'm not really good at finding acronyms or
> names, does anyone have an idea?
>
> Thanks,
> Michael.
>
Matlab can't trademark "handles" in a computing context as its a term
that has some history. For example the Graphics Context variables in X11
contain function handles to the DDX (device dependent) functions that
are responsible for rendering specific graphics objects. They trademarks
"Handle Graphics", which uses graphic function handles for the
operations. Which is also why I think their patent on function handles
is bogus, as the concept of a function handle (ie a pointer to an
arbitrary function) has been used for many years and in X11 since the 80's.

I don't even see how graphic handles can infringe matlab trademark,
though maybe it could be construed as infringing. However, saying
graphic function handles or graphic context handles should be fine is
that is exactly what they are in language that has been used in
computing long before this trademark,  and is the language I'd recommend
using when discussing the handles implementation of Octave. Just don't
use "Handle Graphics (TM)" and we should be fine..

D.

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