Re: NSCursor Resize Cursor
Re: NSCursor Resize Cursor
- Subject: Re: NSCursor Resize Cursor
- From: Scott Ellsworth <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 08:21:30 -0800
On Jan 27, 2006, at 7:46 AM, Joachim wrote:
Uli Kusterer wrote:
Just one note: Technically, that's illegal.
Apple paid someone (a developer or even a graphics designer) to
create the cursors for Pages. That person has copyright on these
graphics (or maybe even "transferred" his copyright to Apple, which
the US apparently allow). While I haven't heard of anyone being sued
for copying such small details yet, you would be safer if you just
fired up a drawing app and created your own. Just because lightning
hasn't struck yet, doesn't mean it never will.
In theory you're most likely right. In real life, however, this
happens all the time and in this case in such a small scale. Worst
case, Apple (or was Adobe first, or Quark or?) asks you to license
their cursor graphics or to use your own graphics.
Well, no.
Worst case, Apple decides that your interface infringes too much, and
hits you with a copyright suit. This is not at all likely, but it is
a possible worst case, especially if it seems to verge on a trademark
dispute. While a single icon is copyrighted, if the app appears to
be using Apple's registered service marks, then they might decide
that use of the icon supports that contention. (A quirk of US law -
copyrights can be held for essentially forever, even if the work is
not currently available. Trademarks must be vigorously defended.)
Better, in my opinion, to create your own or ask a graphic artist
to. It is even allowed to send them Apple's as concept art, as long
as theirs is an original work.
But it is also in Apple's interest to give the user a consistent
experience. For example, how many developers are using the General
icon in the preference pane of their applications? Thousands?
That's a good thing because we immediately recognize it and know
what it means. As we do with the cursors that Pages uses.
That is quite true. I am not sure who you contact to get something
moved into the toolkit. (Moving some of the controls and artwork
from iApps into the framework is, to me, a very good idea.)
Scott
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