[Gllug] OUTRAGEOUS Apple patent for solar voltaic covered computer cases

Dan Kolb gllug at eco.li
Wed May 28 17:02:42 UTC 2008


On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 05:30:53PM +0100, M.Blackmore wrote:
> 
> THIS IS UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS! This idea has been discussed around mailing
> lists and web forums and third world development organisations as a
> wish-for for at least the last 20 years that I recall. Can someone with
> contacts with the free software movement or whatever that fights this
> sort of blatant colonialism and idea theft by US corporations want to
> start digging at prior art and obviousness? 

I'm sorry, but what exactly does this have to do with free software? From what
you've described, this is an engineering patent (this issue of whether or not
it's valid is beside the point here), and has nothing to do with software.

Now, stick in PVs to power a device isn't patentable, as it's rather obvious.
Solar-powered calculators have been doing this for years. However, Apple's
engineers may have come up with a novel non-obvious way of actually
incorporating PVs into the design of their machines, and making them reasonably
efficient. I don't know. I haven't seen the patent application. 

Dan
-- 
You may be sure that when a man begins to call himself a "realist," he
is preparing to do something he is secretly ashamed of doing.
		-- Sydney Harris
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