[Hi, I don't think this BIG issue has been discussed here. But if someone has brough it up before I do, plz tell me and I'll delete this thread.]

For the last few years the European Patent Office (EPO) has, contrary to the letter and spirit of the existing law, granted more than 30000 patents on computer-implemented rules of organisation and calculation (programs for computers). Now Europe's patent movement is pressing to consolidate this practise by writing a new law. Europe's programmers and citizens are facing considerable risks.

... ... ...

If Haydn had patented "a symphony, characterised by that sound is produced [ in extended sonata form ]", Mozart would have been in trouble.

Unlike copyright, patents can block independent creations. Software patents can render software copyright useless. One copyrighted work can be covered by hundreds of patents of which the author doesn't even know but for whose infringement he and his users can be sued. Some of these patents may be impossible to work around, because they are broad or because they are part of communication standards.
I was pointing my browser to MRTG site (http://people.ee.ethz.ch/~oetiker/webtools/mrtg/), and found that it's "Closed because of Software-Patents". MRTG itself is presently not being threatened specifically, but it could be, said the author. OMG, what's happening in Europe???

Read the full article at http://swpat.ffii.org/index.en.html.

Peace always,
<jdenny>