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.
All of microsofts win32 APIs for graphics and windowing refer to
"window handles" as well. So "handles" in a graphics context is nothing
new.