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Comment by based2 | Hacker News Reader

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6661436B2/en Method for providing window snap control for a split screen computer program GUI

https://patents.justia.com/patent/6661436

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250201392

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/07/gnome-shell-quarter-tili...

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So an expired patent which was previously owned by IBM is why Apple cannot have windows tiling but Windows and Linux have had for decades?

It's assumed Microsoft paid the troll toll (probably 2 decades ago). Linux is a complicated field to litigate anyone over a patent. It does happen just not easily compared to suing a big corp.

But o god I found more cancer: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110099512

Splitting one monitor into two virtual monitors is patented. Fuck you LG.

Samsung DeX (Android desktop environment) has window snapping via click and drag as well

How can such general technologies be privately patented? What if someone patented the QWERTY keyboard?

QWERTY was patented, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY

“Patent No. 207,559, issued August 27, 1878 to Christopher Sholes.”

https://patents.google.com/patent/US207559A/en

Another reason for "patents are awful"

Hmm that patent appears to have expired. If it was the reason this feature hasn't been implemented, looks like they're in the clear to do so now.

IANAL, but, “Status: Expired - Lifetime”

2022-04-19 Adjusted expiration

That patent is for the ability to resize windows once they have been sent to half the screen. Windows does that.

But Linux (at least Gnome) doesn't support it so it doesn't violate the patent. You can send windows to half the screen but you can't conveniently move the split point.

But MacOS doesn't even let you do that. I always end up installing Spectacle or Rectangle or whatever it is and using keyboard shortcuts.

> You can send windows to half the screen but you can't conveniently move the split point.

This is incorrect.

Patents can be licensed.

Yet HN biases to Apple = good, Google = evil

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