scott wrote:
>>>   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.

That's the same rules we have here in the USA.

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
    Eiffel - The language that lets you specify exactly
    that the code does what you think it does, even if
    it doesn't do what you wanted.

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