>>   The fact that software cannot be patented in most countries. The EU 
>> doesn't
>> acknowledge software patents.
>
> Oh, right. I didn't know that.
>
> Does this mean that software patents actually don't get granted? Or just 
> that hypothetically you could go to court to have them revoked?

If it's a clear cut software-only or algorithm-only with no physical 
application it will be rejected, in fact you'd be dumb to waste the money 
trying to apply for a patent, no legal firm would advise you to do this.

*But*, if it applies to some physical object that can actually be made, then 
the algorithm/program *can* be patented.  For example a novel image 
processing algorithm for improving display quality on a display is fine, or 
a control program for a crane, that sort of thing.

As you can imagine though, there is a huge grey area in the middle, so 
probably some things get through that wouldn't be enforceable in court.

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