One Step Close to Cracking Down on Software Patents in America?
Dr. Roy Schestowitz
2007-10-06 18:58:52 UTC
Modified: 2007-10-06 18:58:52 UTC
It appears as though software patents' almost-identical twin, namely business methods patents, has just lost a tooth.
Ruling May Make It Harder to Protect Business Methods
A federal appeals court has issued a ruling that may make it more difficult to obtain and enforce so-called business-method patents, which are granted for abstract processes rather than specific devices. Legal experts say the decision could help financial-services and software companies facing a barrage of patent-infringement litigation brought by patent holders.
Patents pertaining to business methods are forbidden here in the United Kingdom. The same goes for software patents, which can be virtually ignored. However, looking elsewhere as well, some people (including and even notably Microsoft) seem to be finding workarounds, which is violation of the law, at least in South Africa.
It would be interesting to see some charts, based on some long-term study, comparing the general health (blood pressure, BMI etc.) of people who use proprietary stuff and people who do not
In the case of Rust, instead of "the liberation of the digital society" we have empowerment of Microsoft GitHub and of GAFAM in general. Guess who funds this...
