So someone has a 'solution' to the software patent problem? Mandatory licensing, better quality, peer review? Use this easy form to explain to them why they are wrong. Just copy & paste, check the options that apply, and send it off!
Displaying the price of Microsoft Windows to be decided by the ECJ?
1220621391|%e %b %Y — Most laptops are sold without the price of Microsoft Windows displayed before the consumer buys it. This is an issue if you want to use another piece of software on your laptop, such another version of Microsoft Windows, or Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD or OpenSolaris. There are 2 decisions (Cases C-261/07 and C-299/07) pending at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on this issue. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1220621391|%O ago
EDPS confirms the possibility of a 'Soviet Internet'
1220445227|%e %b %Y — EDPS, the European Data Protection Supervisor, points out in its analysis of the Harbour report that amendment 81 gives the possibility of a 'Soviet Internet', where National Regulatory Authorities could impose technological mandates, such as mandatory TPM chips to connect to the internet. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1220445227|%O ago
World Day Against Software Patents (24 Sep 2008)
1219943997|%e %b %Y — You want to get your software association, software company, software consultancy, software project involved in the 24 September World Day Against Software Patents and are able to speak in the name of your organisation? Please give us your contact data below. Your organisation gets the opportunity to be listed as a supporter for the announcement of the World Day Against Software Patents. — Comments: 1 — by
zoobab 1219943997|%O ago
Subprime Patents
1218830465|%e %b %Y — Many patents work in the same way that subprime mortgages and all its derivatives. They create false assets and so false economies that finally develop in important economical crisis. But in the case of patents it is worse indeed, because every patent is potentially a monopoly and a block to the free market. — Comments: 0 — by
rizox 1218830465|%O ago
EPO gets Google style search
1218664266|%e %b %Y — The EPO will introduce full text search for patents this year. — Comments: 0 — by
arebenti 1218664266|%O ago
Software patents on the way to be legalised in India
1218210952|%e %b %Y — A comment on a blog tell us that software patents are on a way to be legalised in India. Microsoft, Infosys, Symantec and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) (nice name :-)) were pushing for software patents at a recent meeting at the Indian Patent Office in Mumbai. RedHat was "shot down" at the meeting. — Comments: 1 — by
zoobab 1218210952|%O ago
EPO says the term "software" is ambiguous and prefers to use tautology for more clarity
1217171711|%e %b %Y — EPO says the term "software" is ambiguous, and prefers to use tautology for more clarity. Maybe the European Patent Office has a different dictionary than I have. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1217171711|%O ago
Patent trolls start on the open source sector
1216275169|%e %b %Y — Why go to the effort of developing new software when you can use patents to extort other companies? A story about FireStar Software, which has not updated its software since 2003, preferring to rely on lawyers rather than programmers, to assure its income... — Comments: 0 — by
pieterh 1216275169|%O ago
Patented wheels or how you can drive a car
1216030997|%e %b %Y — Recently I found this picture of patented wheels. Just for history I post it here. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1216030997|%O ago
EU proposes chaining IPR with competition law
1215683531|%e %b %Y — Competition policy and intellectual property policy are like cats and dogs. France on behalf of the EU proposes to overcome the current unintermediated situation. — Comments: 0 — by
arebenti 1215683531|%O ago
Bunyan wants better document access
1215513849|%e %b %Y — How can civil society influence trade talks if everything's secret? Statewatch has an opinion on that. — Comments: 0 — by
arebenti 1215513849|%O ago
European Parliament rushes towards Soviet Internet
1215196653|%e %b %Y — Brussels, 04 July 2008 — Amendments to the European Telecommunications directive being rushed through the European Parliament propose a "Soviet internet" where software publishers and internet service providers watch traffic and data for Hollywood. Software and services that run on the internet would have to ask for permission of the regulators. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1215196653|%O ago
Spanish MEP paints the EPO as the legislator
1215162459|%e %b %Y — The EPO Gazette reports that some MEPs members of the Legal Affairs committee visited the EPO in early June. Questions were raised on the democratic control of the Office, and how the Alicante model of the OHIM could also apply to the EPO. One MEP mentioned that the EPO is also taking political decisions. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1215162459|%O ago
Get your patent licence at Microsoft
1214839613|%e %b %Y — If you don't trust the OSP (Open Specification Promise), ask for a patent licence at Microsoft. "If you would prefer a written license, or if the formats are not covered by the OSP, patent licenses are available by contacting iplg@microsoft.com" they say on their website. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1214839613|%O ago
Campaign4Creativity is back in software patents lobbying
1214174542|%e %b %Y — Simon Gentry is back in software patents lobbying. Now his role is to push for legalisation of software patents via the creation of central patent court in Europe. — Comments: 0 — by
zoobab 1214174542|%O ago
WIPO will discuss a report on patents and open standards next week
1213879040|%e %b %Y — WIPO will discuss next week a report on the international patent system. A section of it is mentioning open standards. — Comments: 1 — by
zoobab 1213879040|%O ago
Software patent news Feed 
SSP: Examiners to demonstrate against broken governance of the EPO next 18th September in Brussels - "Examiners of the European Patent Office will demonstrate against the broken governance of the Office next wednesday 18th September in Brussels. It seems that the management of the EPO is meeting in Brussels next 17th-19th September, probably behind closed doors, the EPO is such a transparent organisation."
SSP: BSA lobbies Obama for software patents at the Democratic Convention in Denver - "IP-watch tell us that BSA went to lobby Obama at the Democratic Convention in Denver with a list of principles, where the first one is "inspire creativity and innovation through strong, comprehensive, and enforceable intellectual property policies, including copyright, patent and trademark laws." Software patents are definitely on the top of the agenda of American multinationals. BSA does not has any small software company in its members, and Microsoft more active then the other members in using the association as a vector for its purposes."
SSP: Invite the European Patent Office examiners to join the cause! - "A lot of examiners of the European Patent Office are present on Facebook. Invite them to join the cause!"
SSP: McCain senior advisor Carleton Fiorina - "Carly Fiorina found that more patents mean more innovation, so she started patent inflation policy at HP. Now she advises McCain."
Mashable: Patent Troll Strikes Again! Targets: AOL, Digg, Google, and Yahoo! - "In a suit recently filed, Goldberg claims that the above mentioned companies, as well as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Tribune Interactive, and eBaum’s World, all have stepped over the line(s) supposedly drawn by his holdings. He alleges that his patents, which encompass “a network gaming system” and “a method to play games Game reviews on a network,” have been trespassed against, and he now seeks some recompense for the damages."
PCWorld: Patent Holders Cut Some DVD Licensing Rates - "The group pools patents from Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Samsung, Panasonic, Warner Bros., Toshiba and Sharp so that companies building products and software that use DVD patents have a one-stop shop from which to license the technology."
IPToday: Special Feature: Intellectual Property Policy and the Presidential Election - A Discussion - "Patentable subject matter. The discussion heated up on this issue particularly when Ed Reines of the McCain camp noted that McCain would "support our innovation economy critically," and accused Obama of a general lack of foresight or success in his policies. Reines pointed to Obama’s sponsorship of a law excluding some tax-related patents, which saw a quick death in the Senate, and to Obama’s support of so-called "gold plated" patents (an idea stemming largely from an article written by Professor Mark Lemley). The Obama surrogates countered, defending "gold plated" patents and pointing to other specific ideas supported by Obama on his website."
IAM: Philips could be in the firing line after Sisvel's Berlin patent raids - "Whether this is anything more than bluster remains to be seen, but it is not the first time that Sisvel, which has been dubbed Europe’s first patent troll in the past, has sparked controversy over its aggressive use of the law to bring companies to the licensing negotiating table. Similar raids to the one last week were conducted in Hanover earlier this year and in Berlin in 2006. Sisvel has also been active in Italy. And the reason the company does it? Well that's simple: it works. Few would be surprised if in a few weeks we see a notice that Teco and other companies raided in Berlin have become licensees."
Techdirt: Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of More Patents? - "It's interesting that AT&T is bragging about its pursuit of "more patents" rather than, say, more R&D spending or more innovation. AT&T isn't exactly known for its record of high-tech innovation, so it's a little surprising to see it hold itself out as a poster child for the patent system—particularly when we remember that AT&T and other telco incumbents have used the patent system to extort tens of millions of dollars from companies like Vonage that are actually innovating."
Techdirt: Amazon Granted 1-Hour Offer Patent - "Amazon was awarded a patent Tuesday for its Interactive Time-Limited Merchandising Program and Method for Improved Online Cross-Selling, which appears to be lawyer-speak for presenting customers with one limited-time offer after another until they finally bite on one or decline them all. So be careful - the next time you offer folks 10% off on a garden rake if they purchase it within sixty minutes after declining to buy a saucepan, you could be guilty of patent infringement!"
