On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 18:49, Lindsay wrote: > It may come down to how corrupt officials are Nick and who offers the > biggest 'back-hander." The hopes of seeing 'justice done' may be but a > pipe-dream again.
No, not in Europe, not just yet anyway. The European Union has decided not to cast software patents into statute law just yet. I have no real objection to a patent for a _really_ clever implementation of a distinctly non-trivial algorithm, particularly if the software controls a complex industrial process or similar, but storing a database index pointer in a web cookie is pretty obvious and therefore doesn't qualify imho. It's a very nebulous subject, and that's what makes it so difficult and so interesting. > On Sun, 2005-02-20 at 18:33 +1300, Nick Rout wrote: > > errr sorry if i missed your point. > > > > anyway, an important topic for computer enthisiasts, but particulalry > > the free/open world that linux and its friends inhabit.
