> So where would you prefer discussions about specific patents and their
> potential effects on functionality to be discussed?

> Al.

> ----- Original message -----

> > Please do not discuss patents on any of the lists. Thanks.

> > -Jeff

> > On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 11:20 PM, Al Sutton <a...@funkyandroid.com> wrote:

> > > Thread already doing the patent thing to death on -developers;

> http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/threa...

> > > It probably should go to -discuss if anyone wants to continue it.

> > > Al.

> > > Dianne Hackborn wrote:

> > > > Please don't talk about patents on this list, thanks.

> > > > On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Bob <bob.eb...@gmail.com
> > > > <mailto:bob.eb...@gmail.com>> wrote:

> > > >    Engadget just had an interesting article that discussed the Apple
> > > >    "multi-touch" patent, suggesting that pinch/zoom isn't claimed.

> http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/28/apple-vs-palm-the-in-depth-analysis/

> > > >    Please think about soft keyboards when considering multi-touch
> APIs,
> > > >    where the problem isn't detecting the distance between two finger,
> but
> > > >    rather is allowing a 2nd finger (or thumb) to come down on a 2nd
> key
> > > >    before the first finger (or thumb) has been released.  The
> proposed
> > > >    API to provide only a centroid and the distance between fingers
> won't
> > > >    work at all for this sort of application.

> > > >    I think you'd ultimately want to package this as additional
> > > >    GestureDetector subclasses, depending on whether the type of
> gesture
> > > >    detection wanted was pinch/zoom or multiple/overlapping taps.
> > > >    Keyboards (and maybe games) would use one class, browsers another.

> > > >    Providing the right information from a touch panel to drive either
> > > >    detector might be challenging, especially if the panel provides
> > > >    'unpaired' x and y coordinates rather than individual touch
> locations,
> > > >    but I believe it could be done.

> > > >    On Jan 13, 4:08 pm, Disconnect <dc.disconn...@gmail.com
> > > >    <mailto:dc.disconn...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> > > >    > And everything I have seen says apple patented -gestures-. EG
> > > >    pinch to zoom,
> > > >    > etc. So .. ymmv. But it cannot prevent general multitouch from
> > > >    working
> > > >    > (ahem, ms surface) or - likely - even stretch to zoom (prior
> art)..

> > > >    > On Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 5:31 PM, luke <luke.hu...@gmail.com
> > > >    <mailto:luke.hu...@gmail.com>> wrote:

> > > >    > > Actually I have one more question if anyone can answer it --
> does
> > > >    > > anyone know for sure if the threat of being sued by Apple
> > > >    really is a
> > > >    > > barrier to getting multitouch on Android?  I don't need an
> > > >    official
> > > >    > > word from Google or anybody else -- I just need to know if
> this is
> > > >    > > just rumor or if it is a real possibility.

> > > >    > > Thanks!

> > > >    > > On Jan 13, 5:29 pm, luke <luke.hu...@gmail.com
> > > >    <mailto:luke.hu...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> > > >    > > > On Jan 13, 5:01 pm, "Dianne Hackborn" <hack...@android.com
> > > >    <mailto:hack...@android.com>> wrote:

> > > >    > > > > Hi, this is really cool work, but I don't think we would
> > > >    accept
> > > >    > > something
> > > >    > > > > like this as a patch.  At the very least, re-using the
> > > >    size field to
> > > >    > > report
> > > >    > > > > pseudo-multi-touch information is a pretty big hack.

> > > >    > > > No problem, totally understandable.  I will probably put
> > > >    this out
> > > >    > > > there as a "community hack" and see if it catches on (i.e.
> > > >    whether
> > > >    > > > Market apps start appearing that use it).  I am going to
> > > >    hack together
> > > >    > > > a map and browser apps that use this for scaling, and people
> can
> > > >    > > > choose whether or not to use this on their phone as a
> > > >    workaround,
> > > >    > > > until multitouch is officially available.

> > > >    > > > Thanks for answering my questions.

> > > > --
> > > > Dianne Hackborn
> > > > Android framework engineer
> > > > hack...@android.com <mailto:hack...@android.com>

> > > > Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time
> to
> > > > provide private support.  All such questions should be posted on
> public
> > > > forums, where I and others can see and answer them.

> > > --
> > > ======
> > > Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company
> > > number  6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, 152-160 City
> > > Road, London,  EC1V 2NX, UK.
> > > The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not
> > > necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's
> > > subsidiaries.