Re: [Gzz] Contingency plans

[Benja Fallenstein]

Tuomas Lukka wrote:
> On Sun, Jan 12, 2003 at 05:30:10PM +0100, Benja Fallenstein wrote:
>
> > Sorry for not replying to this earlier. It's been on my mind.
> >
> > Tuomas Lukka wrote:
> >
> > > http://bootstrap.org/lists/ba-ohs-talk/0205/msg00093.html
> > >
> > > We need to do a plan; I propose to go over the patent 
> > > and see which claims apply where.
> >
> > Haven't gone through the whole thing recently, but the first claim is 
> > already dead on point with our structural views. 
>
>
> Oh, but this is common with patents: the claims start very broadly and
> then narrow down. The point is that if anything has existed before
> the patent that would have been covered by a claim, then the claim is
> not valid.
>
> You see, claim 1 just about applies to multidimensional spreadsheets as well.
> Of course, IANAL, but ...
>
> Likewise, the most narrow claims usually don't cover anything else.
>
> The middle claims are the important ones. Which ones have prior 
> art and which don't.

Thanks for explaining. But: Zzstructure *is* just a multidimensional 
spreadsheet *except* that if you go up-right-down-left, you don't 
necessarily end up where you started (and that not all cells need to be 
connected on all dimensions)-- i.e., that a free posward connector can 
connect to any free negward connector on the same dimension, with 
absolutely no additional rules. Claim 1 already covers this. -- It 
doesn't cover the usual zz views yet; claim 5 does this:

> 5. The method of claim 2, wherein each said view has defined 
> a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, the method further comprising:
> said step of presenting uses a raster order including a vertical strip
> consisting of said current cell and a contiguous subset of said cells
> which are connected to said current cell in a first said dimension
> which is mapped to said vertical axis of said view;
> said raster order further including horizontal strips each consisting
> of one said cell present in said vertical strip and a contiguous subset
> of said cells which are connected to said one said cell in one
> said dimension, wherein said one said dimension is a second dimension
> which is mapped to a horizontal axis of said view, thereby presenting
> said Rasa order in an I-shape.

(I cannot find where the "Rasa order" is "said," tho.)

- Benja