Re: Temporarily open folders on drag-and-drop

[David Christian Berg <david sipsolutions net>]

> "I'd also think" doesn't help here. Lawyers are very sophistic(ated) wrt
> positive right.

Let me elaborate by using the wording of the patent:

------

A new behavior in a graphical user interface allows the user to open and
close enclosures, while dragging an object. When the user pauses,
gestures, or rolls over a hot spot on top of an icon or text
representing a closed enclosure, a temporary window for the closed
                                   ^^^^^^^^^
enclosure is "sprung open" to allow the user to browse inside the
enclosure and possible open another enclosure contained within the
temporary window. This process can be carried on throughout a
hierarchy of windows as the user browses for a destination window for
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the drag operation.
All of the temporary windows except the destination are closed when the
^^^                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^    ^^^^^^
mouse button is released, signaling the end of a drag.
                ^^^^^^^^                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The user may close sprung open windows by simply moving the cursor out
of the sprung open window, or by making some other gesture. If an
enclosure to be sprung open was previously open on the desktop, the
previously opened window may zoom over to the current mouse position,
and then return to its original position when the user mouse is out of
the window.

------

This patent text is _very_ distinct as to what kind of behaviour is
being described.
Hence for browser-mode we won't have any trouble implementing spring
open folders, because we don't want to open new windows but open the
"enclosure" in a the same window. Therefore neither close on leaving the
window, nor close on ending the drag applies -- the patent simply is
designed for spacial-mode.

As for spacial-mode this is of course a lot more tricky. The easiest way
to work around the patent would be closing the destination window at the
end of the drag as well, since the patent is very specific about leaving
it open. Unfortunately this is not all that handy, but I think it is a
drawback, we are willing to take.
As for the last sentence of the patent we could just raise the window
instead of moving it to the mouse position. Actually I'd consider that
behaviour more spacial anyways.

I've read that Alex wanted to contact a lawyer about his at some point.
At large distros the must have patent lawyers from the states, to deal
with issues like this, don't they?
Unfortunately I think that just an "ordinary" won't really satisfy us.
The German law students I know, are with me, on this topic.
But this is Germany, a country where reason actually counts :) and
precise wording is a must within law.

Hope this email helps you understand, that I didn't just write down an
"I'd also think" because I want the behaviour that badly, but I put it
down after considering it for quite a while. I probably should not have
been using the "would", though.

David