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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Assimilate got sued by Autodesk?!

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kylemallory said:
Autodesk is claiming copyright infringement of key user-interface elements which were unique features of Cyborg, and were incorporated into the Autodesk suite when Autodesk purchased Cyborg from 5D in 2004. Autodesk is claiming that many of those same key features are also used by Assimilate, which was founded and owned by previous employees of 5D.

From reading the docket, many of the interface features claimed under infringement are also found in RedCine, including gestural swipes, Ok/Esc buttons within buttons, the appearance of buttons, the popup calculator, etc.

Autodesk also suggests that based on these similarities in the user interface, that it is possible "that portions of the underlying Cyborg source code and/or the structure, sequence, and organization of that code were copied as well."

Perhaps the most significant of Autodesks claims, is this: "Autodesk is informed and believes that Mr. Huisma, who appears to be the principal programmer at Scratch, improperly retained a copy of the Cyborg source code after his employment with 5D terminated as a result of its liquidation."


If anyone would like a copy of the Main Document submitted with the complaint, let me know and I can post it.
Click to expand...

All this will be moot if Apple and/or someone else gives us a capable and cost-effective workflow to color grade and work with R3D files.

If the lawsuit is successful, a possible outcome could be that Scratch and RedCine simply pay a fee to Autodesk. This cost might well have to be borne by us, the users.

Another outcome could be the demise of both Scratch and RedCine.

On the other hand, the lawsuit could fail, or take so long that we will have moved beyond the need for either Scratch or RedCine.

Best regards to all,

Leo
 
If I remember correctly Discreet threatened patent infringement as part of their strategy to buy 5d for rock bottom prices. All other potential buyers got scared.

Perhaps they are just using this kind of thing as part of their sales strategy for lustre and a way of threatening assimilate not to tread on flame toes with future development.

Michael
 
Just for the record guys, the original poster contacted me privately and he's cool. It was not his intent to stir the pot or pick a fight.

Carry on...
 
Jay A. Kelley said:
Jeff,

Why not delete this thread, and if a "real person" wants to post this, then fine.. But let's not start such a serious thread off with a post from an "unknown"

Just a suggestion

jay
Click to expand...

Delete this thread ?
It's very unfortunate that You can't see the bigger picture here.
This topic is very important and it should be discussed here.
It could be very bad thing for RED community for two reasons:

1. Redcine could be cancelled or You would have to pay for it.

2. As a response, Red company could prevent Autodesk from using RED SDK for import in their systems.
That could mean no RED for many Autodesk users worldwide.

Again, this is very bad for all of us RED users/owners.
 
orlando said:
Delete this thread ?
It's very unfortunate that You can't see the bigger picture here.
This topic is very important and it should be discussed here.
It could be very bad thing for RED community for two reasons:

1. Redcine could be cancelled or You would have to pay for it.

2. As a response, Red company could prevent Autodesk from using RED SDK for import in their systems.
That could mean no RED for many Autodesk users worldwide.

Again, this is very bad for all of us RED users/owners.
Click to expand...

I know why you may want to talk about it in public, but by doing so, or by hosting the comments, a criminal and/or civil offence may be commited.

IANAL and this is not legal advice.
 
Disclaimer:
I don't work neither for Autodesk, Assimilate, nor any other company mentioned here. I am an user/owner who is concerned about this issue.

I found in this thred a lot of incorrect informations.

poster said:
From my understanding Cyborg got absorbed by the Systems products from discreet. I believe COLOSSUS which was an offshoot fo colorfront by some turkish dudes (i think) was converted to Lustre.
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The 5D Colossus was designed and written by brothers Aron & Mark Jaszberenyi, from Colorfront, Budapest, Hungary.
It's base for development was Colorfront Colorstar* plugin for Discreet Advanced systems. This plugin was the heart of the color grading system inside 5D Cyborg.

Code of 5D Colossus has never been real property of 5D. 5D just licensed Colossus and was more a distributor than an owner.
When 5D went down in 2002, Colossus was not part of the buyout.
The property stayed with the Jaszberenyi brothers until 2005.

"Autodesk acquired Colorfronts intellectual properties in 2005 for $15m USD, and Lustre development continued in Budapest with Mark Jaszberenyi as director of development."

5D Monsters were also not part of the buyout.
Thay are now known as Speedsix Monsters.

But 5D Cyborg and 5D Commander were part of the Discreet/Autodesk buyout.

flameop said:
I saw Cyborg.. not really like it..
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When did You see it ? Are You sure it was Cyborg ?
I worked with Cyborg for more than 2 years and in many things it is same as Scratch. The UI is very similiar many things are exactly the same.
I will try to upload some old screenshots of Cyborg to show You that.

Also, on several forums long time ago it was confirmed by Assimilate that the writer of Scratch UI was the same guy that wrote the UI for Cyborg.

Miltos Pilalitos said:
Is it a similarity of the stacking UI that seems to be the problem? That would be a realy stupid reason to sue Assimilate!!
BTW i thought Cyborg died 4 years ago. Do they still support it?
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Long story short:
1. Discreet bought the specific look of Cyborg UI and it's CODE.
As I said it's not just the stacking UI. It's the hole design from the starting of sotware, making of the project, preview monitor, options, menu design, and many more things.
2. Using similiar interface is maybe problematic, but if they used old Cyborg CODE to make the new Scratch UI (now owned by Autodesk), that's very serious problem.

Cyborg died 6 years ago. It was not supported since IBC 2002.

Michael Lindsay said:
If I remember correctly Discreet threatened patent infringement as part of their strategy to buy 5d for rock bottom prices. All other potential buyers got scared. Michael
Click to expand...

This is not true. It's a very very long story.
Would take several pages to explain the worst business decisions 5D had made.

Long story short: 5D killed itself badly.
 
Demonstration at Manchester cricket club in the UK many many years ago..

tbh cant really remember to much of the ui. I meant more like I remember not liking it.. though I was young and wrapped up in digital fusion at the time. Was about the same time I was running Avid Media Illusion.

s
 
one reason more for Red to leave the Software part behind, just let others do the debayering....
 
Could be a very strange behavior from any software company like an Assimilate

in this no right times but in a totally bad times there are no excuse for anybody.

Than ANARCHY RULES.

OR NOBODY SURVIVES in a way of batter taste.
 
flameop said:
images
Click to expand...

I see some similarities to the UI but nothing groundbreaking to motivate me (if i was Autodesk) to sue Assimilate.

My personal opinion is that maybe Autodesk thinks that Scratch threatens it's Color Grading product line and this is a way to slow them down (or hopefully stop them).
 
Sadly ... getting sued sometimes is a sign of success.

Speculation on this subject is pretty silly ... as my grandfather use to say -

"Everything comes out in the wash"

One should note - the Chairman of Assimilate has a pretty good legal track record ... just ask Intel.


“Tom Cruise's attorney said he is going to sue anyone who claims he is gay. In a related story, Ricky Martin's attorney has been hospitalized for exhaustion.”
- Conan O'Brien
 
ASSIMILATE response

ASSIMILATE response

Hi everybody,

We at ASSIMILATE have been seeing a fair amount of posts regarding Autodesk's recently filed complaint against Assimilate alleging that SCRATCH violates Autodesk's copyrights. First of all, Assimilate denies each of the claims made by Autodesk. From Assimilate's perspective, the UI elements of Scratch that allegedly infringe are not protectable features and/or have been used in software products that pre-date Cyborg by *years*. Please take a look at Autodesk's complaint and draw your own conclusions. The attachment size limit on reduser prevents me from posting it here, but it is publicly available elsewhere, and if you would like a copy, contact me OFFLIST.

Regarding the GUI features, if any of you know of any prior programs with these features, let me know OFFLIST at lucas (at) assimilateinc (dot) com. The case has no merit and any help you'd like to offer is appreciated.
For any of our customers and/or potential customers, know that Assimilate *will* defend itself in this case in order to protect your investment (and ours!) The company will be posting relevant filings on its website in the near future so you can stay informed.

For anybody on Reduser reading this, be advised that, due to the nature of litigation, everybody at ASSIMILATE is limited as to what we can say from this point forward.

Best,

Lucas Wilson
--------------------
Director, Business Development
ASSIMILATE, inc.
LA, CA, USA

 
Its not the UI its the code,,,That you(Asimmilate) sold to Autodesk, that they own now...
and you forgot to keep this in your memory
 
orlando said:
Delete this thread ?
It's very unfortunate that You can't see the bigger picture here.
This topic is very important and it should be discussed here.
It could be very bad thing for RED community for two reasons:

1. Redcine could be cancelled or You would have to pay for it.

2. As a response, Red company could prevent Autodesk from using RED SDK for import in their systems.
That could mean no RED for many Autodesk users worldwide.

Again, this is very bad for all of us RED users/owners.
Click to expand...

Bigger picture? You cannot even read my entire post and you are lecturing me on a "bigger picture"? If memory serves (And it doesn't have too since we wrote it down) I was suggesting the post be RESUBMITTED by a poster with an identity!! As someone on here noted, I was TRYING to get poster to share some info on himself.

Not only is the topic important, but the source of the information, and the agenda behind it's release is also important.

It is my opinion that I am seeing a "bigger picture" than you realize.

Nevertheless, it's all good.. It's been picked up by many here so the discussion you want is happening.. Cool.

Jay
 
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