mail archive UK Ubuntu Talk
ubuntu-uk.lists.ubuntu.com
(List home) (Recent threads) (278 other Ubuntu lists)
Subscription Options
- RSS or Atom: Read-only subscription using a browser or aggregator. This is the recommended way if you don't need to send messages to the list. You can learn more about feed syndication and clients here.
- Conventional: All messages are delivered to your mail address, and you can reply. To subscribe, send an email to the list's subscribe address with "subscribe" in the subject line, or visit the list's homepage here.
- Moderate traffic list: up to 30 messages per day
- This list contains about 33,154 messages, beginning May 2005
- 54 messages added yesterday
Report the Spam
This button sends a spam report to the moderator. Please use it sparingly. For other removal requests, read this.
Are you sure? yes no
UK Patent Laws
Ad
I thought I'd point out http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11077.... , the response to the petition to stop software patents. Apparently software patents are already illegal in the UK. Does this mean that it is legal for us to install MP3 codecs (including using automatix) or are these patented as algorthims rather than just software. Thanks, I'd like to know whether what I do is legal :) Ben Webb
Don't believe you can patent an algorithm either.On 28 Feb 2007, at 22:11, Benjamin Webb wrote: > I thought I'd point out > http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11077.... , the response to the > petition to stop software patents. Apparently software patents are > already illegal in the UK. > > Does this mean that it is legal for us to install MP3 codecs > (including using automatix) or are these patented as algorthims rather > than just software. > > Thanks, I'd like to know whether what I do is legal :) > Ben Webb > > -- > > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubu... > https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
yes software patents arn't and have never been acknowledged by the uk government, that petition was about keeping it that way. you can install mp3 codecs and the like just fine, although i implore you to never ever use automatix, its unsupported and you will find no help from most other ubuntu users, its caused us a lot of headaches in the past.On Wed, 2007-02-28 at 22:11 +0000, Benjamin Webb wrote: > I thought I'd point out > http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11077.... , the response to the > petition to stop software patents. Apparently software patents are > already illegal in the UK. > > Does this mean that it is legal for us to install MP3 codecs > (including using automatix) or are these patented as algorthims rather > than just software. > > Thanks, I'd like to know whether what I do is legal :) > Ben Webb >
Yes, you should just follow https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats in future; or at least until Feisty and easy-codec-installation is out.On Wed, 2007-02-28 at 22:48 +0000, gord wrote: > On Wed, 2007-02-28 at 22:11 +0000, Benjamin Webb wrote: > > I thought I'd point out > > http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11077.... , the response to the > > petition to stop software patents. Apparently software patents are > > already illegal in the UK. > > > > Does this mean that it is legal for us to install MP3 codecs > > (including using automatix) or are these patented as algorthims rather > > than just software. > > > > Thanks, I'd like to know whether what I do is legal :) > > Ben Webb > > > > yes software patents arn't and have never been acknowledged by the uk > government, that petition was about keeping it that way. you can install > mp3 codecs and the like just fine, although i implore you to never ever > use automatix, its unsupported and you will find no help from most other > ubuntu users, its caused us a lot of headaches in the past.
Well according to the patent office the following is not patentable:Of course I Am Not A Lawyer. Andy
Apparently there is a distinction between a "pure software" patent and a software patent which implements a "technical effect" (or something, don't quite remember the details). As I understand it, the latter is the real danger: many patents which are really no more than software patents are being bundle into that category and being approved. Anyone know anything more about that? Dave.On Wednesday, 28.02.2007 at 22:11 +0000, Benjamin Webb wrote: > I thought I'd point out > http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11077.... , the response to the > petition to stop software patents. Apparently software patents are > already illegal in the UK. > > Does this mean that it is legal for us to install MP3 codecs > (including using automatix) or are these patented as algorthims rather > than just software.