This is at http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/jk-22.11.00-003
in german, a quick a dirty summary from german speaker
coworker is roughly that there was a conference
an the 20 countries decided to retain the status-quo. The
European Patent Convertion will not change.
Am told it goes on to state that there *are*
software patents, and more can be accepted under
the current regulations, but the regs will not
be changed to make it easier or harder to obtain
software patents.
I think this still leaves open whether the crop
of patent attempts by IBM and other multinationals
are within the "existing regulations" or not.
It is a blow (it appears) for the propatent lobby,
though perhaps not a fatal one. Software patents
are likely to remain in the current hazy halfworld
rather than being definitively ruled out or
allowed. Anyhow slashdot has the story now, am sure
a proper translation will make its appearence ther.
C.
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