EU Says No To Software Patents

Moggie68 writes "European parliament has . struck down the proposal for a directive that would have brought US-style software patents into EU." Here's another story on the decision.

The score

[RootsLINUX]

The so-called software patent directive, rejected by a 648-14 vote with 18 abstentions, would have given companies EU-wide patent protection for computerized inventions ranging from programs for complex CAT scanners to ABS car-brake systems.

PWNED!!!

Re:It's possible that certain types of patents are

[110010001000]

"You don't patent a mathematical formula, for software is merely a connection of a mathematical formula"

More proof that the people making the decisions don't know what they are doing. Software is not a derivative of a mathmatical formula. This isn't 1940 where computers are simply solving math problems.
Software development and mathematics diverged a long time ago. They have virtually nothing in common anymore.

Re:Well done!!

[Anonymous Coward]

For the time being I can rest assured that working as a programmer I do not have to watch my every statement.

Really? I won't be buying your code then.

Re:Heh... everybody wins!

[Anonymous Coward]

well, thank you Bill Gates!

A sad day for innovation, indeed

[Anders Andersson]

The so-called software patent directive, rejected by a 648-14 vote with 18 abstentions, would have given companies EU-wide patent protection for computerized inventions ranging from programs for complex CAT scanners to ABS car-brake systems.

Holy crap! Does it mean companies will have to be satisfied with EU-wide patent protection only for computerized inventions ranging from complex CAT scanners to ABS car-brake systems instead? Now that seems like a real threat to European innovation; these companies will surely fall victims to foreign competitors selling computerized ABS car-brake systems involving no hardware components at all...

Re:Next: the US

[burnetd]

Florida !

NOOooooooo

[tech49er]

As if it it wasnt hard enough getting work this side of the atlantic! Not only do we have to deal with work getting outsourced to india - pretty soon we'll have to compete with the wave of hungry refugee-programmers pouring in from the US :-(

Curses! Foiled again!

[fadden]

Now we Americans will have to compete against Europeans with technology instead of lawyers.

So close! We almost had them!

Re:Not quite

[cortana]

Don't worry; as soon as the Tories decide who'd they'd like to lose the next election to, I'll think up a similar name for him and his stooges. :)