Re: [Fsfe-uk] Software patent

[Alex Hudson]

On Fri, 2006-07-28 at 10:28 +0100, Ian Lynch wrote:
> Summary - Blackboard have obtained a broad patent on many of the aspects
> of an  online learning system. The patent has been granted in the US,
> Australia and  New Zealand, and its status is 'applied for' in Europe
> and many other places. 
>
> Is there anything that can be done to make sure this doesn't get through
> in EU?

I love this quote from the American version, on ease of use of webpages:

        "For example, an Internet user's ability to access information
        using that medium is significantly reduced if the user lacks
        understanding of how to use Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) to
        traverse (i.e., navigate) web pages."
        
I never realised clicking a link was so hard.

In short, I doubt there's anything you can do to stop it being filed: it
may well get rejected, but there's not a lot you can do to help it be
rejected.

If it does get accepted, it looks like it would be pretty unenforceable
unless they've done some major rewording to the EU version. It might be
possible to ask for a UKPO opinion on the patent, and whether Moodle
infringes (though I'm not sure they issue opinions on EU patents...). It
would cost a little money, but an opinion against would severely weaken
the patent.

Cheers,

Alex.