Back in 2003, it was always a great distraction to have either live TV
or a video file playing on a computer desktop using desktop overlays
in a program called VLC or BSPlayer. Low load on the CPU, excellent
quality video, etc. How nice would it have been to render interactive
graphics to the background as well?
My problem is I finally accomplished that program last year only to
find out that in 2005 MS patented just about any change of color in
your desktop background for use in DreamScene. Not only that, but
they've eliminated overlays in Vista AERO and therefore disabled any
previous desktop video application in common use.
My solution works very well. It even works on the Mono platform -
Linux and Mac. Windows all the way down to Windows 2000 - not just
Vista Ultimate. I would love to release it but how can anyone arrange
access to this Microsoft patent? I don't want to jump out of the gate
and be tackled by Steve Balmer. Can I pay a royalty or play it safe
as open source or is my method just different enough to avoid the
patent? I can't find a contact for their patent information - not
even in the partner program.
Any thoughts would be helpful.
BoeroBoy
