[ANNOUNCE] Spring loading folder behaviour (bad news inside)

[Kévin 'ervin' Ottens]

Le jeudi 27 Mai 2004 12:08, Waldo Bastian a écrit :
> I am not aware of any trash patent. I think someone is confused with a
> trademark that apple was supposed to have on the trashcan, see e.g.
>
> http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-artists&m=93309151401950&w=2
>
> I can't find that one at www.uspto.gov though.

I investigated this patent issue... They have a patent on the trashcan icon... 
very very tricky...
It's the US patent D470,860, abstract available here :
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=D470,860.WKU.&OS=PN/D470,860&RS=PN/D470,860

> I suggest to revert it for now and if someone manages to come up with a way
> that doesn't infringe then that can go in.

I've found the US patent number 6,307,545, abstract available here :
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,307,545.WKU.&OS=PN/6,307,545&RS=PN/6,307,545

From what I've done, there's some differences and I hope some solutions to 
this problem...

First of all, I open several windows only if the user setup require one window 
by folder. On solution could be to always use the browser metaphor without 
considering this user setup. Doing everything in one window is not covered by
their patent at all.

Secondly, it is stated in this patent that "All of the temporary windows 
except the destination are closed [...]", but my code close all the temporary 
windows except the _source_ NOT the destination.

Moreover, their patent doesn't cover triggering the event using the keyboard. 
Only by "pauses, gestures, or rolls over a hot spot on top of an icon", so 
triggering the event using the space key is surely acceptable.

To sum up we have in my opinion two solutions:
1) dump half of my code and only work with the browser metaphor (don't open 
multiple windows) ignoring the user settings
2) don't remove any piece of my code since it's already different but modify 
it to trigger the event not using a delay but using a space key press

Personaly I'd vote for solution 2 which have the nice side effect to honor 
user settings...

I'm waiting for orders sir! ;-)
I'm investigating a little more waiting for reactions... I hope to find a 
better solution than "simply remove it".

Regards.
-- 
Kévin 'ervin' Ottens, http://ervin.ipsquad.net
"Ni le maître sans disciple, Ni le disciple sans maître,
Ne font reculer l'ignorance."