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It is not about the money - but it doesn't hurt

David Gelernter's company "Mirror Worlds Technologies" was way ahead of her time.
Developing software that makes access to computers easier and more intuitive was a nice idea at the beginning of this century, but less than enthusiastically received by the market. Based on ideas layed out in Gelernter's book "Mirror Worlds: or the Day Software Puts the Universe in a Shoebox... How It Will Happen and What It Will Mean" the company brought only one product to live: "Scopeware" (2001). Scopeware displays a stack of registry-cards on screen, where the user can thumb through, bringing their content (fotos, emails, webpages...) to the focus - a technique well known today from Apples "cover flow". While Mirror worlds was disbanded in 2003 because of the lack of revenue - Apples sleak and intuitively interfaced devices are tremendously popular must-haves.
A federal court in Tyler, Texas awarded $625.5 million to Gelernter for patent violation by Apple.
While Gelernter emphasized in an interview with the blog "Big Think" before the verdict was announced that "money is not the issue" - the sum might still send a smile on Gelernter's face.
(Apple is challenging the verdict)
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