India Quietly Introduces Software Patents

Grok Headline matches for India Quietly Introduces Software Patents

AOL quietly shifts staffing to India

AOL quietly shifts staffing to India 12/23/2003 11:34 PM
CNET Asia Dec 23 2003 10:43PM ET

Google Quietly Introduces Book Searches

Google Quietly Introduces Book Searches 12/17/2003 08:22 PM
You just can't stop Google, it seems. Last week they were adding features like the ability to track your FedEx packages, and now they've launched the beta test of their book search capabilities. While, this is clearly something of a response to Amazon's famed search inside the book feature, the end result isn't quite there. While there had been rumors that Google was looking to impleme nt a similar service, what they just (very quietly) launched is much simpler. Basically, they've just stored book flap info, and mixed it in with the regular search results (though, as the article points out, it doesn't show up that high on most searches). However, if you find one, it links to a page within Google that includes the info from the inside flap of the book, a few simple facts about the book and links to buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million (they haven't even added in pricing info yet). While they don't have affiliate codes to make money off of those links, I imagine it wouldn't be difficult to add. The page does have their typical contextual Adwords advertising, though - increasing their inventory.

Software patents are bad for coders like
literary patents would be for writers

Software patents are bad for coders like
literary patents would be for writers 06/22/2005 01:49 AM
Cory Doctorow: Richard Stallman, creator of the Free Software movement, has written a tremendous essay for the Guardian on the risks of software patents. Richard undertakes a gedankenexperiment about "literary patents" and the impact they would have had on Victor Hugo as he sat down to pen Les Miserables.

Now consider this hypothetical literary patent: Claim 1: a communication process that represents, in the mind of a reader, the concept of a character who has been in jail for a long time and subsequently changes his name...

These patents would all cover the story of one character in a novel. They overlap, but they do not precisely duplicate each other, so they could all be valid simultaneously - all the patent holders could have sued Victor Hugo. Any one of them could have prohibited publication of Les Misérables.

You might think these ideas are so simple that no patent office would have issued them. We programmers are often amazed by the simplicity of the ideas that real software patents cover - for instance, the European Patent Office has issued a patent on the progress bar, and one on accepting payment via credit cards. These would be laughable if they were not so dangerous.

Link (Thanks, Phil and Eloisa!)

Google quietly picks up digital software
company

Google quietly picks up digital software
company 07/14/2004 05:02 AM
Dailybulletin.com - Wed Jul 14, 07:50 am GMT

India Alters Law on Drug Patents

India Alters Law on Drug Patents 03/23/2005 10:10 PM
India, a major source of inexpensive AIDS drugs, passed a new law that activists fear will choke off their supply to poor countries.

In India, a high-tech outpost for U.S.
patents

In India, a high-tech outpost for U.S.
patents 12/15/2003 11:34 AM
CNET Dec 15 2003 10:48AM ET

Microsoft India files 40 patents, 70 in
pipeline

Microsoft India files 40 patents, 70 in
pipeline 04/15/2005 12:39 AM
Hindu Business Line Apr 15 2005 3:49AM GMT

"In India, a High-Tech Outpost for U.S.
Patents"

"In India, a High-Tech Outpost for U.S.
Patents" 12/16/2003 03:14 AM

In India, a High-Tech Outpost for U.S.
Patents

In India, a High-Tech Outpost for U.S.
Patents 12/15/2003 01:15 AM
New York Times Dec 15 2003 0:15AM ET

Biotechnology and Pharma Patents
Drafting and Patent Search Outsourcing
from India

Biotechnology and Pharma Patents
Drafting and Patent Search Outsourcing
from India 06/17/2005 06:23 PM
GVKBIO (http://www.gvkbio.com) and TMPSearchers (http://www.tmpsearchers.com) have joined hands to jointly offer Biotechnology and Pharma Patent Drafting and Patent Search Outsourcing services in areas of Chemistry, Biotech, Pharma and Health Care as per PCT specifications and a Free Patent Search in June 2005 limited to first 100 clients who ask for it. [PRWEB Jun 6, 2005]

India introduces online tax accounting
system

India introduces online tax accounting
system 05/31/2004 08:25 PM
NewIndPress May 31 2004 11:46PM GMT

REAL Software Introduces Resources to
Help Visual Basic Developers Convert
Their Software to Linux and Mac OS X

REAL Software Introduces Resources to
Help Visual Basic Developers Convert
Their Software to Linux and Mac OS X 07/21/2004 10:53 AM
REAL Software, Inc., announced today the availability of resources that help Visual Basic developers migrate their applications to Linux and Macintosh. The resources include a new white paper, "Porting Visual Basic Applications Cross-Platform to Linux and Mac OS X, A Guide for Visual Basic Developers" and a conversion utility, called VB Project Converter, that performs the mechanics of moving Visual Basic projects to REALbasic.

Software Outsourcing India, Offshore
Software Development

Software Outsourcing India, Offshore
Software Development 07/08/2004 02:24 AM
TatvaSoft is India based software development and outsourcing firm, specializing in helping US, Europe and Asia regions companies to reduce their development costs [PRWEB Jul 8, 2004]

No EU Software Patents

No EU Software Patents 12/17/2004 06:33 PM

Munich, Germany (23 November 2004). The three most famous European authors of open-source software have issued an appeal against software patents on NoSoftwarePatents.com. Linus Torvalds (Linux), Michael Widenius (MySQL) and Rasmus Lerdorf (PHP) urge the EU Council, which will convene later in the week, not to adopt a draft directive on software patents that they consider "deceptive, dangerous, and democratically illegitimate". They also call on the Internet community to express solidarity by placing NoSoftwarePatents.com links and banners on many Web sites.

It would be nice if someone with some serious design credentials would knock up some more aesthetically pleasing banners.

Software Patents Out, For Now

Software Patents Out, For Now 02/05/2005 09:46 PM
Patent legislation is one step further away from being passed in the European Union today. The Legal "Affairs Committee (JURI) said that the commission should re-submit the controversial directive. The Computer Implemented Inventions Directive" failed to receive backing from the government's elected MEP's.

The <a href="http://www.ffii.org/index.orig.en.html">FFII</a& gt;, a EU pressure group, described the decision as "a powerful statement from MEPs that the current Council text, and the logjam of concern it has caused, is simply not a sustainable way forward." FFII board member Jonas Maebe went on to say "The Commissioner can jumpstart the constructive dialogue by submitting a new and more balanced proposal to the European Parliament this time. By taking into account the countless new facts that have surfaced since the start of this procedure in 2002, the Commission has a great opportunity to reinvigorate the Lisbon strategy."

Poland had previously blocked the directive from coming in to being. It's opposed by groups who want to keep the EU free of copyrights on software, something common to the USA. They argue that rather than helping businesses protect their intellectual property, they act to stifle innovation. Supporters of the directive argue that EU legislation on copyrights is out dated and needs bringing into line with the US system.

The road ahead is un-clear; the commission has a variety of options that it can pursue. The most likely outcome with be a re-evaluation in a few months time. Critics of the directive say the extra time will allow countries more debate over the issue and give them another chance to fully assess its implications.

View: Previous coverage | FFII

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EU Moves Toward Software Patents

EU Moves Toward Software Patents 05/07/2004 08:29 PM

EU software patents: how the vote was
won

EU software patents: how the vote was
won 05/19/2004 05:53 AM
No hanging chads, but still a close call

U.S. to EU on software patents: "We sold
out, you should too"

U.S. to EU on software patents: "We sold
out, you should too" 06/09/2004 10:26 AM
European free software advocates, Green Party activists, Socialists, economists, small business owners, and other radicals are working to keep the European Union from instituting U.S.-style software patents. But don't give up hope. The U.S. government and some of the biggest U.S. software vendors are working to bring those backward Europeans into the modern world, where software development can eventually be limited to responsible companies instead of being done by any-old-body with a computer and a good idea.

Software Patents Off The Agenda In The
EU

Software Patents Off The Agenda In The
EU 12/22/2004 01:16 AM
This isn't a huge surprise given events of the last month, but the question of software patents has been removed from the agenda of the latest EU Council meeting, at the request of the Polish representative. It sounds like, hopefully, this issue is dying out in the EU, though, it's likely that supporters will keep pushing for it next year.

RMS On How To Fight Software Patents

RMS On How To Fight Software Patents 09/11/2004 06:37 PM

Software patents under attack

Software patents under attack 07/05/2004 06:25 AM
EFF goes after ten most wanted

"Software patents under attack"

"Software patents under attack" 07/05/2004 02:40 PM

EU Ministers Approve Software Patents

EU Ministers Approve Software Patents 05/18/2004 04:12 PM
In a move that is likely to cause a lot more harm than good, the European Council has approved a dreadful plan to allow for software patents. The language of the plan has apparently removed an amendment that would have made the idea more palatable to open source supporters. ZDNet UK has more details. It's not a done deal yet, as it still needs to be voted on by the European Parliament - but it will be much more difficult to change the policy now. This is, once again, a case of people making political decisions rather than ones that will generally help the economy. Software patents will only tie up the patent and legal system and will do plenty to slow down innovation, rather than speed it up. Being able to invent something and being able to successfully sell it to the market are two completely different things. By saying that only those who invent a concept are allowed to sell it to the market, they are slowing down the ability for companies to successfully get new, useful products to market. With software patents, this is especially troublesome because it's very difficult to determine what in the software is actually patentable and very broad concepts that should never be locked up under a government granted monopoly end up that way.

Maybe Software Patents Won't Kill FOSS
After All

Maybe Software Patents Won't Kill FOSS
After All 07/26/2004 09:22 PM

Software patents and rebel MEPs

Software patents and rebel MEPs 06/08/2004 06:04 AM
Letters Voting record doesn't follow party line

UK firm patents software downloads

UK firm patents software downloads 06/16/2004 03:56 AM
BTG in talks 'with several firms'

An Insider's View of Software Patents

An Insider's View of Software Patents 08/01/2004 08:02 PM

Creative Pressures id Software With
Patents

Creative Pressures id Software With
Patents 07/28/2004 11:26 AM

EU software patents directive delayed -
again

EU software patents directive delayed -
again 09/24/2004 05:47 AM
Less action, more talk

EU Software Patents Directive Delayed
Once More

EU Software Patents Directive Delayed
Once More 09/24/2004 04:17 PM
A controversial software directive in the EU has been delayed once more. Daniel Cohn-Bendit, co-president of the Greens/EFA Group, told ElectricNews that "Officially, the council has experienced translation difficulties with the new official languages of the EU. In reality this file is returning to Coreper in order to allow the technical discussions between experts from the member states to continue."

The patent directive, part of the Lisbon agenda, was initially intended to form part of a frame work to make the EU the most competitive economic zone in the world by 2010. Intended to "tidy up" the EU's messy patent laws, the directive has became twisted from its original form. In its previous state, it would have allowed patenting of software and algorithms. Proponents of the directive argue that this is necessary to protect both big and small companies from competitors stealing their IP.

However, many others argue that the directive would stifle competition and cause more problems than it solved. If allowed/enacted, the directive would bring the EU into line with the US where the practise has caused dismay amongst software developers. Amazon's patenting of "one-click" buying is often cited as a good example of why the legislation is a bad idea.

View: More @ ElectricNews

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EU gives green light to software patents

EU gives green light to software patents 03/14/2005 04:52 PM
Without a clear mandate from its members, and in the face of outright opposition from a few of them, the EU finally acts in the US software industry's best interests and pushes forward software patents.

NewsForge On U.S. Advice To EU On
Software Patents

NewsForge On U.S. Advice To EU On
Software Patents 06/09/2004 05:40 PM

Battle brews over Web software patents

Battle brews over Web software patents 01/27/2003 11:05 PM
International Herald Tribune Jan 27 2003 9:31PM ET

How to fight software patents - singly
and together

How to fight software patents - singly
and together 09/09/2004 12:21 PM
Software patents are the software project equivalent of land mines: Each design decision carries a risk of stepping on a patent, which can destroy your project.

PwC: software patents threat to Europe

PwC: software patents threat to Europe 09/15/2004 05:53 AM
Few prepared for consequences

More on the Microsoft v. EU Decision on
Software Patents

More on the Microsoft v. EU Decision on
Software Patents 12/24/2004 12:35 PM

Germany to Vote Against Software Patents
in the EU

Germany to Vote Against Software Patents
in the EU 05/16/2004 02:22 AM

Demonstration Against Software Patents
in Europe

Demonstration Against Software Patents
in Europe 04/10/2004 01:56 PM

Software patents 'threaten Linux'

Software patents 'threaten Linux' 01/23/2004 02:19 PM
Open source advocate Bruce Perens says the real threat to Linux is not from SCO, but from software patents.
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India Quietly Introduces Software Patents

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