The description of the patent GraphOn has is publicly available, since it's been awarded. If you're really interested in exactly what the patent really covers, you should look at it. Patent documents are available on-line (for a charge) or on CD in 6 USPTO Depository Libraries across the US (for free).
The patent is not meant to address remoting 'transport' protocols themselves (such as ICA & RDP). It deals with the idea of conversion between UIs. What Exodus invented, apparently before anyone else did, was a dynamic method of converting a workstation UI API call-set, such as Windows, to another, such as X or Java, for the purpose of remote display and interaction. The key here appears to be when 2 or more dissimilar UI APIs are involved on each end. Citrix presumably would not be in violation of this patent when remoting Windows applications from a Windows server to a Windows client workstation. But presumably Citrix would be in violation when remoting Windows applications from a Windows server to a Unix workstation or other non-Windows client.
That patent could spell trouble for Citrix, as it might hamper, or even eliminate, Citrix's ability to go after the Windows server to non-Windows client market, which would be bad news if you assume that Microsoft will eventually 'own' the market for remoting Windows apps from Windows 2000 servers to Windows client devices.
Now, I'm no lawyer (I'm an old technologist), but the patent document seems pretty clear to a technically knowledgeable reader. So what remains is if the other patent requirements are born out under court challenge (any prior art? BTW, I'm not aware of any but of course there might be) (useful invention? If it weren't, Citrix wouldn't be pursuing this biz) (made available in commercially available product? Exodus did that). So, if it were to get to a point where Citrix is backed into a corner, probably via a court case, the question then becomes: will GraphOn license patent rights? Perhaps you can take solace in that old saying that "everyone has their price", so the answer to that one is probably "yes". I.e., this is probably a speed bump issue, but one that may draw concern for Citrix shareholders while bolstering those of GraphOn in the "short term" (1-2 yrs).
Someone here remarked that the quality of discussion here is unusually good for a stock thread...I agree wholeheartedly. Although I don't drop in on CTXS very often anymore, I always enjoy it when I do. |
