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In many European countries (all of the EU ?), software patents are not recognized. You may still have other kinds of patents, which are very much enforceable.
by palunon 9y ago
In many European countries (all of the EU ?), software patents are not recognized.
You may still have other kinds of patents, which are very much enforceable.
- jwildeboer 9y agoThat is plain wrong. Software patents exist and are enforced in the EU and other member states of the European Patent Treaty. The European Patent Office even has a nice FAQ on helping you get your software patents granted at: https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/g_ii_3_6.htm https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines...
- rwmj 9y agoThe situation is a bit more subtle than you make out. The EPT has clear language which excludes software from patentability, but that hasn't stopped lawyers from arguing that some software can be patented if it has a physical effect (even a minimal one). Wikipedia actually summarises it decently: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patents_under_the_European_Patent_Convention https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patents_under_the_Eur...
- jwildeboer 9y agoThe situation isn't even that subtle. The "physical effect" AKA the German Teaching has eroded into a "further technical effect" in the past decade. And with the UPC looming, things could get even worse. But that's getting off topic.
- rosser 9y agoI must have missed the part where the patent clause in the React license applied only to software patents.