KSplash/ML donation?

[Ralf Nolden]

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On Samstag, 8. März 2003 10:56, Gary Greene wrote:
> On Saturday 08 March 2003 3:25 am, you wrote:
> > On Samstag, 8. März 2003 03:59, Brian Ledbetter wrote:
> > > > I highly agree on this part since there are some small but nagging
> > > > areas in the KSplash/ML code-base that are in a great need of fixing.
> > > > For one: the fact that NONE of the changes that you do using the
> > > > customization dialog are saved when you press apply. Don't get me
> > > > wrong, I LIKE KSplash/ML much more than KSplash, it just needs some
> > > > code
> > > > clean-ups/fixes to be 100%.
> > >
> > > Excellent point, Gary and Allan.  This is exactly the kind of thing I
> > > have not had the time or energy at the end of the day to get in and
> > > implement, which is why I hope the project can find a new home here. 
> > > If anyone needs pointers on the APIs I have implemented to support
> > > splash screen themeing, or if any of the code doesn't make sense, I am
> > > certainly available to explain myself..  :)
> > >
> > > In response to the "unified themeing API/codebase" thread, I would
> > > definitely be supportive of some unified API which took into account
> > > both login (KDM), splash (ksplash or /ml), and screensaver password
> > > dialog interfaces, along with any additional integrations (kicker?
> > > kpersonalizer?) which would need to happen to make life easier on the
> > > end user.  I'd be interested in seeing what kind of ideas come out of
> > > it, and would love to participate in any way my limited time could
> > > offer...
> >
> > The only issue that's on my list is that you need to make sure that the
> > default themes you offer shouldn't run us into legal trouble with any
> > companies (I think the windows xp one possibly could but I'm not sure on
> > the details). Otherwise I'm fine with replacing ksplash with ksplashml
> > (well, just change ksplash and make it ksplashml witout renaming too much
> > stuff in CVS) and then go ahead.
> >
> > Ralf
> >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > --
> > > Brian Ledbetter <brian at shadowcom.net>
> > > http://www.shadowcom.net/brian/
>
> Actually, Microsoft can't cause any problems for the XP theme due to
> several precidents created when Apple Comp. sued Microsoft for damages
> because of UI similarities in the early '90s. The ruling was that you
> cannot copyright the look and feel of a UI. However, you can trademark it.
> If I'm not mistaken, the Luna environment of Windows XP (aka NT 5.1) isn't
> trademarked. I'm looking into this however, for completeness sake.

Thank you. It is quite important to avoid any names that directly match a 
mimiced theme such as using "Microsoft Windows XP Luna theme", even if the 
similarity you want to express becomes an obsession to the author of the 
theme :-)  This is the reason why we use something like "Redmond theme" or 
"Sunshine" for instance. Make sure you follow those naming schemes to avoid 
any legal confusion with the original product you try to mimic.

Another very important thing is that the artwork being used has to be 100% in 
your property and is not copied illegally from any copyrighted products.

Ralf

- -- 
We're not a company, we just produce better code at less costs.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralf Nolden
nolden at kde.org

The K Desktop Environment       The KDevelop Project
http://www.kde.org              http://www.kdevelop.org
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