[wellylug] NZ Software Patents

[Joe Mahoney]

> I can accept that there can be a software patent.
> Exactly how would that differ from a copyrighted work?
> Is it a kind of software device?

Patents are about process and function.

eg. Excel & OpenOffice Calc are two different works that do the same
thing. The have different source code so there is no copyright
infringement.

If MS were to patent something like 'autofilling a cell based on the
content of the cell above' and OpenOffice Calc implemented the same
functionality, then Open Office could potentially be found to infringe
on the patent and MS could require Sun (or whoever) to either license
the patent for a fee or remove the functionality.

Joe Mahoney
http://blog.cheerschopper.com