Et tu, Larry?

Summary: Google fuels the EPO with its tools that can help usher software patents into Europe

HEY, Google, what on Earth are you doing again? Leaving aside your latest new patents [1, 2] that you applied for, where is the call for reform? Real reform.

First this silly censorship and now this indirect assistance to software patents in Europe? Have the patent lawyers already fully taken over the company? Where are Larry and his technical colleagues?

Leave dirty jobs like this one to Microsoft:

Patent information can now be translated into English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Swedish via a 'patent translate' tool on the EPO website after the patent registry joined forces with internet giant Google to develop existing automated translation software.

The EPO said that it had provided Google with "several hundred thousand high quality translations of patents" in the seven languages which Google had used to "train" its translate system. The president of the EPO hailed the launch of the new service as a "landmark" in removing language barriers from patent documents.

This is bad. For those who do not understand why, see our latest post about the unitary patent. ⬆