[Patents] Press release about the BT patent on hyperlinks. -Reply

[Steve Probert steve.probert@patent.gov.uk]

Further to my earlier post, and for the avoidance of doubt, I should add
that GB1581136 was granted under the British 1949 Act (the old Act),
which did not have a specific exclusion for computer software. 
However, having looked at GB1581136, there is no doubt in my mind that
we would have granted it under the law as it stands today (assuming
novelty and inventive step etc.).  In simple terms, it is not a computer
program as such, and the present exclusion therefore would not apply.

Steve Probert
Deputy Director, UK Patent Office.

>>> fermigier <sf@fermigier.com> 22 June 00 @ 14:48 >>>
The following text was issued as a press release this morning.

...... Europe is currently protected against this absurdity because the
   European Patent Law prohibits granting patents on pure programmes.
   However, thousands of Internet software patents, just as absurd as
   BT's one, are waiting at the European Patent Office for a change in
   the European Patent Law which will likely make them fully enforceable
   in Europe within 6 months. In particular, the European Commission,
   under pressure of the United States, is currently pushing European
   governments to change their patent Law and legalise software patents
   within six months.