old hardware help requested

I don't quite understand what copyright (as opposed to patent law) has to do with his case, but I thought I'd forward this inquiry... - John > From: "Advanced Approach" <info(a)advanced-app.com.hk> > To: <jfoust(a)threedee.com> > Subject: old hardware help requested > Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 10:51:42 +0800 > > Dear Mr. Foust: > > I am an American living (temporarily) in Hong Kong, I am in a jam > here, and > you might be able to help. I would appreciate a couple of minutes of > your > time ? just enough time to read this. You may be able to tell me > what I > need to know immediately. > > I am a defendant in a lawsuit here. In the lawsuit against us, the > Plaintiffs claim that in the early 1990?s they were the first in the > world > to recess a rocker switch. (Actually, they do not use those exact > words; > rather, they claim they own the copyright on a recessed rocker > switch. For > them to own the copyright, they would have to be the first people in > the > world to put out a product with a recessed switch.) > > Of course, their claim is ridiculous, but in court, we have to PROVE > it is > ridiculous -- otherwise, the court will probably accept their claim. > To > disprove their claim, we simply need to find a product with a recessed > rocker switch that was on the market before 1990. (And of course, we > need > to prove that it was on the market before 1990.) > > Friends have told me that recessed rocker switches were common on > early > computers, printers, and mainframe terminals. > > Copyright here is all about outlook. Here are two examples of > recessed > rockers switches with the outlook that we need: > > The first example: > http://www.auctionshoppingbot.com/misc/Recessed_Rocker_Switch.html > > The above is from a Canon copy machine. > > This example shows well all five key elements that we need: > 1) The rocker switch is mounted on a flat surface, > 2) The rocker switch is recessed beneath the surface, > 3) There is flat surface all around the recess, > 4) There is nothing else in the recess with the switch, and > 5) The area of the recess is bigger than the area of the switch but > not > excessively so. > > This would be prefect, except the copy machine is only a couple of > years > old ? too new to prove that recessed rocker switches were on the > market > before 1990. (I have contacted Canon, but as a company, it seems > they are > only interested in selling new machines.) > > The molded on/off symbols and the indicator light are not important. > We are > looking for an example product with or without the molded on/off > symbols and > the indicator light ? either is fine. For the switch rocker itself, > color > does not matter ? even clear plastic with illumination inside is OK. > > The second example: > http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=115 > http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos.asp?t=1&c=115&st=1 > > DEC 300 series computer from 1979. (On the second link, click on the > "close > up".) This is good, and we might use this. It would be perfect, > except the > Digital logo is right next to the switch (so this example does not > meet key > element #3). So for our purpose, this is only half good. > > If you know of any product from 1990 or before that had a recessed > rocker > switch that meets all five key elements, please let me know. As you > and > others you know are knowledgeable about old hardware, any information > you > could provide would be greatly appreciated. > > I hope to hear from you. > > Thanks, > > Rick Graves > Personal Rick_Graves(a)CompuServe.com > > Advanced Approach Ltd. > 1907 Westley Square, 48 Hoi Yuen Road > Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong > Tel: +852 2372-0197 Fax: +852 2342-7197 > e-mail: info(a)advanced-app.com.hk