Ribbon bar patent

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wxBen
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Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 4:44 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Ribbon bar patent

Post by wxBen »

Hi,

Just curious: I realize this has come up before, but does anyone know definitively whether Microsoft patented the ribbon bar UI and whether that impacts the wxWidgets ribbon bar?

There are some references that they were trying to patent it, but that you can use it unless you compete with Office, but their license has many undesirable conditions. There is also mention that wxWidgets is European based so it is not an issue (for wxWidgets itself directly at least), what if you are in Europe but also provide software that is used in the US?

I know there are lots of maybe or heard this or that, but does anyone know for sure what the story is?

Personally I agree with a lot of Europe that does not allow software patents.
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