Compliance Toolkit

In association with Network Liberation Movement

Story: Amazon patents gender stereotyping

Posted by: Marc (Thursday 10 March 2005, 1:01 PM)

This is why EU Software Patents should not be allowed. Such a system is completly obvious and has probably be considered by thousands of websites.

It is hardly a "new technological advancement which will advance society" as patents are meant to be. Its just simply that Amazon are the first company with enough money in the bank to attempt to patent such an idea. This idiotic patent (and a few others) got through, the 10,000 equally and even more stupid ones they applied for didn't.

But for a company the size of Amazon, who can afford the millions it costs to patents tens of thousands of wierd patents, its a cost worth paying.

And while its true that most patents like the one described here wouldn't stand up in court against a good legal team, the intention is to stomp on the little guys who can't afford the top-of-the-field lawyers capable of repelling such a ridiculous patent.

I just pray that such a system doesn't get implemented in Europe. It's happening though and if people don't start writing to their MEP's, EU Software Patents will get through and we too will suffer from the millions of obscure patents though up by companies with A LOT of money to spend.