Licensing the 2007 Microsoft Office User Interface
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 22nd Nov 2006 13:22 UTC, submitted by jayson.knight
Microsoft "For the last year or so, one of the questions I've been asked again and again has been: "Can I use the new Office user interface in my own product?" On one hand, it's an immensely satisfying question to hear, because it means that others in the industry believe in the value of what we've built and see how the sound UI research we've done can benefit their own products. Creating the new user interface has been our team's passion for the last three years, and we love sharing the fruits of this hard work. On the other hand, the new Office user interface was a huge investment by Microsoft and the resulting intellectual property belongs to Microsoft."
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Ribbon Technology.
by REM2000 on Wed 22nd Nov 2006 15:33 UTC
REM2000
Member since:
2006-07-25

Isn't this really just licensing the technology than the right to actually do something. I'm sure that anyone is fine to create whatever UI they want.

Microsoft are licening their technology so they give you the SDK and tools to implement the technology in your own application.

Of course they are not going to let competing products use their technology it's how the corporate world works.

Reply Score: 1

RE: Ribbon Technology.
by andrewg on Wed 22nd Nov 2006 15:44 in reply to "Ribbon Technology."
andrewg Member since:
2005-07-06

No code or SDK is being licensed. From http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2006/nov06/11-21officeu...

PressPass: How does the licensing program work?

Numoto: Microsoft is licensing its intellectual property rights in the UI (which cover both design and functionality) and offering a comprehensive Design Guidelines document that is a roadmap for developers implementing the UI. Licensees can sign up on the Web and register their products with us on the Web site as well. We are not licensing any code at this time. As I mentioned before, the program is royalty free.

Edited 2006-11-22 15:45

Reply Parent Score: 1

RE: Ribbon Technology.
by twenex on Wed 22nd Nov 2006 16:19 in reply to "Ribbon Technology."
twenex Member since:
2006-04-21

Of course they are not going to let competing products use their technology it's how the corporate world works.

Umm, no. You don't have to pay Hovis for use of a patent if you want to make bread.

Reply Parent Score: 2

RE[2]: Ribbon Technology.
by gavin.mccord on Thu 23rd Nov 2006 14:58 in reply to "RE: Ribbon Technology."
gavin.mccord Member since:
2005-09-07

"You don't have to pay Hovis for use of a patent if you want to make bread"

That's only because prior art goes back to Neolithic times. Just wait and see what happens to patent infringement cases when time-travel becomes possible.

Reply Parent Score: 1