Re: [Patents] newsscan: Software patent limits 'go too far'

[old.timer@tiscali.co.uk]

Perhaps he just wants to support the fundamental principles of open source
software, but can't risk being associated with some of the radical nonsense
that passes for discussion on this list.

Some of us may not like the TRIPS agreement, but all the contracting parties
of the EPC have signed up to it. If they thought the EPC was incompatible
with TRIPS, they'd have to change the EPC.

And I think you will find that software patents were being granted in Europe
long before the 90's. I also think a lot more old timers would come out
into the open if we fought this battle with our eyes open. It's no good
pretending that software patents are illegal just because we wish they were.
It will be tough enough as it is, without fighting against the facts.


>-- Original Message --
>Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:11:29 +0200
>From: Bernard Lang <Bernard.Lang@inria.fr>

as you may have noticed, old timer is better known under the name
"anonymous coward".


On Mon, Oct 20, 2003 at 03:00:52PM +0200, Simo Sorce wrote:
> On Mon, 2003-10-20 at 14:53, old.timer@tiscali.co.uk wrote:
> > The answers to Seth's questi
>ns are simple enough.
> >
> > 1) Because it (the EPO) is required to by the European Patent Convention
> > and the WTO TRIPS agreement.  And,
>
> We need a PO Office, not necessarily the EPO :-)
>
> > 2) Yes, software has always been patentab
>e in Europe.
>
> but the EPC claim that software as such is not patentable ... seem there
> is a problem beetwen what the EPO grants and what the EPC state.
> And I'm pretty sure software was not patentable before the '90s
>
> Simo.
>
> --

>> Simo Sorce - simo.sorce@xsec.it
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