I don't quite understand what copyright (as opposed to patent law)
has to do with his case, but I thought I'd forward this inquiry...
- John
>From: "Advanced Approach" <info_at_advanced-app.com.hk>
>To: <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
>Subject: old hardware help requested
>Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 10:51:42 +0800
>
>Dear Mr. Foust:
>
>I am an American living (temporarily) in Hong Kong, I am in a jam here, and
>you might be able to help. I would appreciate a couple of minutes of your
>time ? just enough time to read this. You may be able to tell me what I
>need to know immediately.
>
>I am a defendant in a lawsuit here. In the lawsuit against us, the
>Plaintiffs claim that in the early 1990?s they were the first in the world
>to recess a rocker switch. (Actually, they do not use those exact words;
>rather, they claim they own the copyright on a recessed rocker switch. For
>them to own the copyright, they would have to be the first people in the
>world to put out a product with a recessed switch.)
>
>Of course, their claim is ridiculous, but in court, we have to PROVE it is
>ridiculous -- otherwise, the court will probably accept their claim. To
>disprove their claim, we simply need to find a product with a recessed
>rocker switch that was on the market before 1990. (And of course, we need
>to prove that it was on the market before 1990.)
>
>Friends have told me that recessed rocker switches were common on early
>computers, printers, and mainframe terminals.
>
>Copyright here is all about outlook. Here are two examples of recessed
>rockers switches with the outlook that we need:
>
>The first example:
>http://www.auctionshoppingbot.com/misc/Recessed_Rocker_Switch.html
>
>The above is from a Canon copy machine.
>
>This example shows well all five key elements that we need:
>1) The rocker switch is mounted on a flat surface,
>2) The rocker switch is recessed beneath the surface,
>3) There is flat surface all around the recess,
>4) There is nothing else in the recess with the switch, and
>5) The area of the recess is bigger than the area of the switch but not
>excessively so.
>
>This would be prefect, except the copy machine is only a couple of years
>old ? too new to prove that recessed rocker switches were on the market
>before 1990. (I have contacted Canon, but as a company, it seems they are
>only interested in selling new machines.)
>
>The molded on/off symbols and the indicator light are not important. We are
>looking for an example product with or without the molded on/off symbols and
>the indicator light ? either is fine. For the switch rocker itself, color
>does not matter ? even clear plastic with illumination inside is OK.
>
>The second example:
>http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=115
>http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos.asp?t=1&c=115&st=1
>
>DEC 300 series computer from 1979. (On the second link, click on the "close
>up".) This is good, and we might use this. It would be perfect, except the
>Digital logo is right next to the switch (so this example does not meet key
>element #3). So for our purpose, this is only half good.
>
>If you know of any product from 1990 or before that had a recessed rocker
>switch that meets all five key elements, please let me know. As you and
>others you know are knowledgeable about old hardware, any information you
>could provide would be greatly appreciated.
>
>I hope to hear from you.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Rick Graves
>Personal Rick_Graves_at_CompuServe.com
>
>Advanced Approach Ltd.
>1907 Westley Square, 48 Hoi Yuen Road
>Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
>Tel: +852 2372-0197 Fax: +852 2342-7197
>e-mail: info_at_advanced-app.com.hk
Received on Sat Jun 28 2003 - 22:29:01 BST