I'd entirely agree that those kind of frivolous patents are nothing but a large scale pain in the derriere to those of us who just want to get the job done.
That, of course, doesn't go against those patents that are actually for things worthwhile, just those frivolous ones.
Take, for example that CGI patent. How quickly can you come up with some examples of this, prior to the publishing date of 1996?
Just a few seconds, I guess, which completely blows it out of the water on the prior art clauses of patents.
As for the database queries in natural language, published in 1993.. I can draw a handful of examples of this being done in university departments way prior to this.
Thus, the idea is not unique to these people, as prior art exists, and as such, the patent is invalid.
I often find that petitions don't quite cut the mustard. Lots of people sign, you hand it to the powers that be, who look at it, and say "Well, we already knew you didn't like it... What's new??".. Which, I admit, is just my view of it..
Perhaps, a better method is for each person who would sign a signature on that form to find an example of a spurious, and overwide patent in the patent office database, and decry it, proving prior art.
This way, if submitted as a "Petition with rationale", the EPO is forced to admit that there are glaring errors in the system, by the proof submitted.
And, of course, once the evidence is put in that format, in a public forum, there's no way for the powers that be to shrug it off as just a group of zealots with no backing.
Anyhow, that's just my tuppence worth,

Malk.

In reply to Re: European Software Patents vs. Perl? by Malkavian
in thread European Software Patents vs. Perl? by neophyte

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