03.17.16
On Bristows LLP and Other Self-Serving Non-Practising Voices for Software Patents and UPC Injustice
People who never wrote a single line of code are among the biggest proponents of software patents
Summary: Bristows LLP, also known as Bristows UPC, keeps pushing for UPC (and by extension software patents) in the United Kingdom
THE ONE thing we noticed while covering the EPO for almost a decade is that the same people who want (and sometimes lobby for) UPC or its predecessors (by other names) were also in favour of software patents in Europe. It’s not entirely a coincidence because the UPC would lead/pave the way for an open door to software patents (more so than right now, where loopholes are still required).
“The UPC isn’t even necessarily happening, but those who lobby for it want everyone to believe that it will definitely happen and the only remaining question is, will Britain be part of it?”It hasn’t been so hard to become familiar with firms that consistently lobbied for the above (not indirectly through hired lobbyists). Bristows LLP was always one of them (Bristows UPC after it was sort of renamed for marketing/strategic purposes) and here is a loaded, silly question from Bristows. To quote: “Question from the audience at Bristows seminar: If Brexit happens, will there be British judges in the #UPC? A: No.”
If Brexit happens, will Bristows lose money? A: Yes. Because it put its eggs in this one basket.
The UPC isn’t even necessarily happening, but those who lobby for it want everyone to believe that it will definitely happen and the only remaining questioning is, will Britain be part of it? These are self-fulfilling prophecies in action and they serve to highlight the dishonesty which exists among some patent lawyers. Other than Britain there is also Spain which stands in the UPC's way.
“The bottom line is, there is a conflict going on which is reducible to class war (the rich against the poor) and it involved patent scope.”The Bristows folks presently act, e.g. in their blogs, as though Bristows is now a ‘think tank’ (part of the conspiracy of patent lawyers who try hard to make the UK join the UPC). This is a scandalous sham given that the British public is never at all consulted; it’s a sort of collusion, a TTIP/TPP-like corporate heist (with ISDS), and an attack on British democracy (for profits of those who are already super-rich, obviously).
Speaking of lobbyists for software patents, recall the recent heated debate about software patents in India and watch how corporate media in India (Times of India in this case) lets an anonymous sort of lobbyist of software patents speak out unchallenged (no balancing voice/s there). “Startup India may be non-starter if patent office has its way,” says the headline. In case it’s not obvious, startups are the main sufferers from software patent and there’s nothing for them to gain, unlike Microsoft or IBM. These are the sorts of firms that lobby for software patents in India and they are not even Indian. We can only attempt to guess who’s behind this misleading article.
The bottom line is, there is a conflict going on which is reducible to class war (the rich against the poor) and it involved patent scope. █
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