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>> I was under the impression that things like (for example) the API for
>> DirectX is patented.
> Actually.. No. An API is an "interface". The underlying way that it goes
> from, "I gave it this data", to, "It gave me this result", is what is
> patented, not the API itself.
Really? Interesting. What underlies the API calls is obviously subject
to _copyright_ protection, but I didn't think you could _patent_
executable code. However, I thought that you *can* patent an API.
> Otherwise emulating **anything**,
> including the BIOS, which you need to do things like DOSBox, would be
> illegal too.
Only illegal if the BIOS interface is patented. (AFAIK, it isn't.) The
actual BIOS code in any given motherboard has copyright protection
[usually], but then it only works with one given motherboard anyway...
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
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