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The United Kingdom's patent matters are run nearly exclusively by the UK Patent Office which has been a relentless promoter of software patentability in Europe since the 1970s.
News & Chronology
2005-02-16 UK House of Commons updated on Software Patent Directive
2004-12-14 UK DTI question-and-answer meeting with Lord Sainsbury
2004-07-06 UK Patent Office updates Software Patent FAQ (downplays differences between Council and Parliament and effects of Council position, confuses the law with shoddy EPO/UKPO interpretations, according to which software can be technical and in that case is no longer software as such, misrepresents UK consultation results, see also UKPO Doublespeak)
2004-07-20 UK Gov't launches "Creative Industries Forum on Intellectual Property" -- Lord Sainsbury says multimedia "industries" are the vanguard of new "technology" whose "protection" by "intellectual property" is the key to growth and success.
2004-07-06 Parliamentary debate on Patents Act -- swpat question also touched
Useful Addresses
The Independent: editors email letters@independent.co.uk Educational Supplement: education@independent.co.uk
The Guardian: the.editor@guardian.co.uk or letters@guardian.co.uk
Times Educational Supplement: tes_letters2@newsint.co.uk
The Economist: letters@economist.com Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 2968/9 Address: Letters, The Economist, 25 St James's Street, London SW1A 1HG, United Kingdom
Daily Telegraph: dtletters@telegraph.co.uk Tel. +44 (0)20 7538 5000, Fax +44 (0)20 7538 6455 Address - 1, Canada Square, London E14 5DT, UK
Corrigenda
Random Addenda
Since the law on both sides of the Atlantic has found it impossible to legislate any meaningful difference between hardware and software then this implies that the difference between the idea behind an invention and the invention itelf has become immaterial. Therefore, in software, technology and knowledge coincide; i.e. there is no meaningful difference between "software as such" and its computer implementation. The law does not know the difference between an invention and knowledge because this difference has disappeared. This means that to patent software is to patent knowledge.
Broadcasting this to cultural institutions or media would be a pertinent tactic. As a general law of morality, the quickest way to change is always the longest way around. Undermine the moral case for software patents.
