[Fsf-friends] Update on Amendments to Patents Act

[Ramanraj K]

Mahesh T. Pai wrote:

>Ramanraj K said on Wed, Mar 16, 2005 at 05:53:56AM +0530,:
>
> > <quote>
> > Cyber expert and Supreme Court advocate Pawan Duggal pointed out that in 
> > the US, software itself is patentable.
>
>Which is only the half the truth.
>
>IIRC, it began when the US supreme Court directed the USPTO to grant a
>patent to  a specific  software hardware combination  which controlled
>industrial production.
>
>By  executive action,  software patents  are being  granted.  I recall
>reading on Groklaw that if the US Supreme Court reverses its position,
>all software patents would be void there.
>
>Unfortunately,  no party  to patent  litigation in  that  country will
>raise a contention that software is not patentable, because that would
>be killing the  goose that lays golden egges. A  defendant in one case
>will be a plaintiff in another.
>
That is why the "WTO Legal System" exists, and India, along with other 
countries opposing grant of patents for computer programs could complain 
against the illegitimate practice before the WTO.