Re: New multitouch patch, fully backwards-compatible and low impact

Most software engineers working at a company simply can not discuss specific
patents in public forums, because of the legal repercussions.  Whenever
possible, it is best simply to not know about them.

So we'd prefer if there was no talking about specific patents on these
lists.  You can talk about them somewhere else, but many of the people
working on Android will not be able to join you.

On Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 7:23 AM, Al Sutton <al-dLmU8nyKCa5vZYtCbIyOVg@public.gmane.org> wrote:

>
> So where would you prefer discussions about specific patents and their
> potential effects on functionality to be discussed?
>
> Al.
>
> ----- Original message -----
> >
> > Please do not discuss patents on any of the lists. Thanks.
> >
> > -Jeff
> >
> > On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 11:20 PM, Al Sutton <al-dLmU8nyKCa5vZYtCbIyOVg@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
> > >
> > > Thread already doing the patent thing to death on -developers;
> > >
> > >
>
http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_...
> > >
> > > It probably should go to -discuss if anyone wants to continue it.
> > >
> > > Al.
> > >
> > > Dianne Hackborn wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Please don't talk about patents on this list, thanks.
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Bob <bob.ebert-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
> > > > <mailto:bob.ebert-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >    Engadget just had an interesting article that discussed the Apple
> > > >    "multi-touch" patent, suggesting that pinch/zoom isn't claimed.
> > > >
> http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/apple-vs-palm-the-in-d...
> > > >
> > > >    Please think about soft keyboards when considering multi-touch
> APIs,
> > > >    where the problem isn't detecting the distance between two finger,
> but
> > > >    rather is allowing a 2nd finger (or thumb) to come down on a 2nd
> key
> > > >    before the first finger (or thumb) has been released.  The
> proposed
> > > >    API to provide only a centroid and the distance between fingers
> won't
> > > >    work at all for this sort of application.
> > > >
> > > >    I think you'd ultimately want to package this as additional
> > > >    GestureDetector subclasses, depending on whether the type of
> gesture
> > > >    detection wanted was pinch/zoom or multiple/overlapping taps.
> > > >    Keyboards (and maybe games) would use one class, browsers another.
> > > >
> > > >    Providing the right information from a touch panel to drive either
> > > >    detector might be challenging, especially if the panel provides
> > > >    'unpaired' x and y coordinates rather than individual touch
> locations,
> > > >    but I believe it could be done.
> > > >
> > > >    On Jan 13, 4:08 pm, Disconnect <dc.disconn...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
> > > >    <mailto:dc.disconn...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>> wrote:
> > > >    > And everything I have seen says apple patented -gestures-. EG
> > > >    pinch to zoom,
> > > >    > etc. So .. ymmv. But it cannot prevent general multitouch from
> > > >    working
> > > >    > (ahem, ms surface) or - likely - even stretch to zoom (prior
> art)..
> > > >    >
> > > >    > On Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 5:31 PM, luke
<luke.hu...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
> > > >    <mailto:luke.hu...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>> wrote:
> > > >    >
> > > >    > > Actually I have one more question if anyone can answer it --
> does
> > > >    > > anyone know for sure if the threat of being sued by Apple
> > > >    really is a
> > > >    > > barrier to getting multitouch on Android?  I don't need an
> > > >    official
> > > >    > > word from Google or anybody else -- I just need to know if
> this is
> > > >    > > just rumor or if it is a real possibility.
> > > >    >
> > > >    > > Thanks!
> > > >    >
> > > >    > > On Jan 13, 5:29 pm, luke <luke.hu...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
> > > >    <mailto:luke.hu...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>> wrote:
> > > >    > > > On Jan 13, 5:01 pm, "Dianne Hackborn"
<hack...-z5hGa2qSFaRBDgjK7y7TUQ@public.gmane.org
> > > >    <mailto:hack...-z5hGa2qSFaRBDgjK7y7TUQ@public.gmane.org>> wrote:
> > > >    >
> > > >    > > > > Hi, this is really cool work, but I don't think we would
> > > >    accept
> > > >    > > something
> > > >    > > > > like this as a patch.  At the very least, re-using the
> > > >    size field to
> > > >    > > report
> > > >    > > > > pseudo-multi-touch information is a pretty big hack.
> > > >    >
> > > >    > > > No problem, totally understandable.  I will probably put
> > > >    this out
> > > >    > > > there as a "community hack" and see if it catches on (i.e.
> > > >    whether
> > > >    > > > Market apps start appearing that use it).  I am going to
> > > >    hack together
> > > >    > > > a map and browser apps that use this for scaling, and people
> can
> > > >    > > > choose whether or not to use this on their phone as a
> > > >    workaround,
> > > >    > > > until multitouch is officially available.
> > > >    >
> > > >    > > > Thanks for answering my questions.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Dianne Hackborn
> > > > Android framework engineer
> > > > hackbod-z5hGa2qSFaRBDgjK7y7TUQ@public.gmane.org
<mailto:hackbod-z5hGa2qSFaRBDgjK7y7TUQ@public.gmane.org>
> > > >
> > > > Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time
> to
> > > > provide private support.  All such questions should be posted on
> public
> > > > forums, where I and others can see and answer them.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > ======
> > > Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company
> > > number  6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, 152-160 City
> > > Road, London,  EC1V 2NX, UK.
> > > The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not
> > > necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's
> > > subsidiaries.
> > >
> > >
>
>


-- 
Dianne Hackborn
Android framework engineer
hackbod-z5hGa2qSFaRBDgjK7y7TUQ@public.gmane.org

Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to
provide private support.  All such questions should be posted on public
forums, where I and others can see and answer them.