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[OM] Re: Next E-x? Minolta & Olympus

Subject: [OM] Re: Next E-x? Minolta & Olympus
From: "Bill Pearce" <bs.pearce@xxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 20:59:00 -0500
what kind of legal trouble did Minolta
> have and how would it affect Olympus so that they would cease
> development of an AF system. Why did it not affect the other AF systems?
Minolta's system was, depending on the side of the suit, either similar but 
different or cpoied directly from Honeywell patents. After their cameras 
were on the market, Honeywell sued, and won a jillion dollars. The result 
was the financial crippling of Minolta, and the fear of God in the hearts of 
other camera makers. Apparently, some paid a license fee, but someone else 
will have to say whom.Obviously, Canon won the war, as most everyone prefers 
their AF to any other. It apparently caused Olympus and some others to turn 
to pillars of salt.

Bill Pearce 


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