Can I do this in WINE?

[Bret Comstock Waldow]

John Klehm wrote:
> On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 8:58 PM, Bret Comstock Waldow <bcw1000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>   
>> I will be very interested in looking at any open source handwriting
>> recognition programs you can point me at.
>>     

> Here's what I was able to dig up awhile back in regards to open source
> handwriting recog of any kind (not saying I found everything by any
> means):
>
> http://code.google.com/p/ocropus/ <= maybe the best handwriting recog engine?
>   
I've had a half-an-hour look at this.  I see the phrase "handwriting
recognition" a lot, but no examples or discussion yet.
> http://www.dklevine.com/general/software/tc1000/jarnal.htm <= closest
> thing to onenote
>   
Yes, and the handwriting recognition is entirely printed individual
characters, and it's not particularly good.  I don't think this is any
reflection on the authors - handwriting recognition is one of the "hard"
problems.

But it doesn't provide sufficient support.

> http://groundstate.ca/tabletsoft <= good summary of a bunch of programs
> http://www.stressbunny.com/wayv/
> http://www.handhelds.org/projects/xscribble.html
> http://www.etla.net/libstroke/
>   
All of these are printed individual character (or glyph) recognition
systems, and thus seriously compromise notetaking and post-recognition
tasks.

>> Otherwise, I need to know about the legality, and practicality, of a
>> scheme such as I am proposing above.  I'm hoping for comment, pointers,
>> and perhaps help about writing it.
>>     
> If you are suggesting to use one copy of windows to serve
> functionality for multiple users that might be on shaky legal ground,
> IANAL though.
>   
I don't know myself.  The web has many examples, published with
Microsoft's implicit (MVPs) or explicit consent (MS provides the
examples themselves) of ink-on-the-web, including handwriting
recognition.  They're largely .NET, but not all.

I'm not interested in providing this service for many users, however,
I'm only interested in using it for myself, on my own Tablet computer,
with my own licensed copy of Tablet XP.

Here is the language from the eula:

    1.4 Device Connections.  You may permit a maximum of
        ten (10) computers or other electronic devices (each a
        "Device") to connect to the COMPUTER to utilize one or
        more of the following services of the SOFTWARE:
        File Services, Print Services, Internet Information
        Services, Internet Connection Sharing and telephony
        services.  The ten connection maximum includes
        any indirect connections made through "multiplexing"
        or other software or hardware which pools or
        aggregates connections.  This ten connection maximum
        does not apply to other uses of the SOFTWARE, such
        as synchronizing data between a Device and the
        COMPUTER, provided only one user uses, accesses,
        displays or runs the SOFTWARE at any one time.
        This Section 1.4 does not grant you rights to access
        a COMPUTER Session from any Device.  A "Session"
        means any use of the SOFTWARE that enables
        functionality similar to that available to an end
        user who is interacting with the COMPUTER through
        any combination of input, output and display
        peripherals.

    1.5 Remote Desktop/Remote Assistance/NetMeeting.  The
        SOFTWARE contains Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance,
        and NetMeeting technologies that enable the SOFTWARE
        or applications installed on the COMPUTER (sometimes
        referred to as a host device) to be accessed remotely
        from other Devices.  You may use the SOFTWARE's
        Remote Desktop feature (or other software which
        provides similar functionality for a similar purpose)
        to access a COMPUTER Session from any Device provided
        you acquire a separate SOFTWARE license for that
        Device.  As an exception to this rule, the person
        who is the single primary user of the COMPUTER
        may access a Computer Session from any Device without
        acquiring an additional SOFTWARE license for that
        Device.  When you are using Remote Assistance or
        NetMeeting (or other software which provides similar
        functionality for a similar purpose) you may share
        a Session with other users without any limit on
        the number of Device connections and without acquiring
        additional licenses for the SOFTWARE.  For Microsoft
        and non-Microsoft applications, you should consult
        the license agreement accompanying the applicable
        software or contact the applicable licensor to
        determine whether use of the software with Remote
        Desktop, Remote Assistance, or NetMeeting is permitted
        without an additional license.  Except as otherwise
        permitted by the NetMeeting and Remote Assistance
        features described above, a license for the SOFTWARE
        may not be shared or used concurrently on different
        computers, such as a workstation, terminal or other
        device.

Note this phrase especially:
"As an exception to this rule, the person
who is the single primary user of the COMPUTER
may access a Computer Session from any Device without
acquiring an additional SOFTWARE license for that
Device."

I read this as saying I may use a running Tablet PC as a compute server,
processing polylines into characters just as the ink-on-the-web exmaples
Microsoft publishes do, but for my own use, on my own network.

And this:
"You may use the SOFTWARE's
Remote Desktop feature (or other software which
 provides similar functionality for a similar purpose)"

VMware provides similar functionality for a similar purpose - I can
remote my desktop with it.  It's still only running on the PC it's
licensed for - my Tablet computer.


So, for individual use by the licensee, I'm comfortable about my current
implementation (xmlrpc access to a compute server over the net by the
licensee).  I don't know about the legal grounds for running a program I
write that provides the functionality, which program is installed on the
actual copy of Tablet XP, and which program is accessed via the WINE
compatibility layer.

And I don't know if it's technically feasible, as I don't program MS
Windows COM applications (yet).  I know .NET won't work with WINE, but
the Tablet SDK does include COM support as well.

Any comments?

Cheers,
Bret