Re: [DotGNU]Re: Concept: Forum

[Norbert Bollow]

> > Hmm... what is the relationship between these ideas, and what
> > phpGroupWare (which is part of GNU and DotGNU already) is doing?
> > Would it make sense to extend phpGroupWare, perhaps with a
> > downloadable user interface component, so that it will also meet
> > those user needs which you have in mind?
>  
> PhpGroupware does not work in realtime as far as I know and that's the
> real difference.

Ok, that's a useful distinction... if the goal of the "forum"
project is to specifically empower realtime collaboration,
then I agree that there is good reason to start an entirely new
development project.

> Programming language: it will probably be best to program Forum in C#,
> because of the support for XML in it and the fact that the
> assembly system makes adding webservices really easy.

Sounds great.  A real application to test the Portable.NET
development tools with.

> A legal question: would it be possible for some company or individual to
> put a patent on the technology Forum is working with (simultaneous
> editing) and successfully enforce the patent? 

The concept of "simultaneous editing" in itself is too obvious
to be patentable.  Any particular approach to implementing it
will however probably be patentable, in those countries which
foolishly allow patents on software "inventions".

ObDisclaimer: IANAL.

> Note that I haven't done the patent checking yet, I'll leave that up to
> the project admin.

Didn't you realise that you're on the best way towards becoming
that project admin? :-)

Greetings, Norbert.

-- 
A founder of the http://DotGNU.org project and Steering Committee member
Norbert Bollow, Weidlistr.18, CH-8624 Gruet   (near Zurich, Switzerland)
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