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Author Topic: New Zealand bans software patents  (Read 5978 times)

app103

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New Zealand bans software patents
« on: August 28, 2013, 08:06 PM »
New Zealand has finally passed a new Patents Bill that will effectively outlaw software patents after five years of debate, delay and intense lobbying from multinational software vendors.

Aptly-named Commerce Minister Craig Foss welcomed the modernisation of patents law, saying it marked a "significant step towards driving innovation in New Zealand".

"By clarifying the definition of what can be patented, we are giving New Zealand businesses more flexibility to adapt and improve existing inventions, while continuing to protect genuine innovations," Foss said.


Renegade

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2013, 08:19 PM »
Hahaha! I was just about to post that! :D

Let's hear a "WOOHOO!" for the Kiwis! ;D
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Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

Stoic Joker

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2013, 06:12 AM »
"WOOHOO!" for the Kiwis!

mouser

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2013, 04:58 AM »
Excellent news.

wraith808

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2013, 12:10 PM »
But how effective will this be in actual practice?  Doesn't this only apply to such litigation brought to NZ courts and within its bounds?

IainB

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2013, 02:27 PM »
But how effective will this be in actual practice?  Doesn't this only apply to such litigation brought to NZ courts and within its bounds?
Yes. It's a start at least, with NZ getting it's own house into more sensible order.

40hz

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2013, 02:46 PM »
But how effective will this be in actual practice?  Doesn't this only apply to such litigation brought to NZ courts and within its bounds?
Yes. It's a start at least, with NZ getting it's own house into more sensible order.

On this issue at least. ;)

wraith808

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2013, 04:53 PM »
But how effective will this be in actual practice?  Doesn't this only apply to such litigation brought to NZ courts and within its bounds?
Yes. It's a start at least, with NZ getting it's own house into more sensible order.

How many high profile software patent cases have been brought up in NZ court?  Just wondering if this is more of a symbolic win than a practical one?

Stoic Joker

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2013, 05:24 PM »
But how effective will this be in actual practice?  Doesn't this only apply to such litigation brought to NZ courts and within its bounds?
Yes. It's a start at least, with NZ getting it's own house into more sensible order.

How many high profile software patent cases have been brought up in NZ court?  Just wondering if this is more of a symbolic win than a practical one?

Think of it as quitting while you're ahead, or nipping something in the bud. They've seen what a total disaster the US has made of SW patents...so they simply avoid that level of mess by learning from the mistakes of another.

Innovation can only flourish when the lawyers are quiet.

4wd

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2013, 05:46 PM »
This article by Florian Mueller at FOSS Patents done the day of the decision would appear to indicate that a ban/abolition didn't actually happen ... or at least not in the way all those celebrating it think it did:

While I can see on Twitter that the movement pushing for abolition declares victory, that's not only inaccurate but also an irresponsible thing to do.
If people are misled to believe that New Zealand has (largely or entirely) abolished software patents, they will make decisions that they will sorely regret when they find out the truth too late. Some innovators will be discouraged from filing applications for software patents, and later they may be sued by those who know that software is still largely patent-eligible in New Zealand and won't have patents of their own to defend themselves with. And some people will believe they are free to infringe -- until they get sued and a court holds them liable.

The story that is being told by New Zealand politicians and lobbyists/activists is that the New Zealand patent reform bill adopts the UK case law on software patents, which is described as the most restrictive one in Europe.

In a followup the next day:
Most media reports on the decision have been misguided, and have in turn misguided the readers of those articles. Interestingly, even an overtly (and sometimes shrill) anti-IP blog named Techdirt has been far more measured and closer to accuracy this time than all those mainstream IT media, saying that "New Zealand Sort Of Bans Software Patents" and that "while the intentions appear to be good, some of the language in the bill may open some loopholes, so we'll be interested to see how the bill is actually interpreted, and what happens within the actual tech sector".

wraith808

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Re: New Zealand bans software patents
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2013, 05:58 PM »
^ That's been my concern, that this means something different than what people are heralding it as.