Hugo - perhaps you can help Apple get sorted with interfaces:-)

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/01/apple_settles_itunes_patent_spat/

Argh !

Software patents, or at the very least the granting of obvious ones is just so dumb.

Here is the patent in question:

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parse...p;RS=PN/5864868
It ammounts to:

- a database contain track names, composers etc
- a computer interface to filter and select tracks
- communicating with a "player piano" to play/pause the selected track
- a computer interface for displaying the currently playing track

It really doesn't get much more obvious an "invention" does it ?

In this case the invention really wasn't even anything to do with iTunes anyway, the patent is talking about a system for controlling a MIDI instrument for playing back music in bars, hotels etc

Edit: fixed URL - wfaulk
Edit again: or not. found a replacement URL

Contois claims Apple employees saw their UI at a tradeshow. Well, it so happens I have graphics and layouts and documentation for a program I designed between 1990 and 1994 that I shopped around the internet from 92-94 looking for a programmer to work with. Except for the player piano crap it predates the other claims of that patent.

I've been meaning to post screen shots up and I suppose I will once I have a bit more free time.