Response to Software Exception in Patent Bill

“Law firms that supported continued software patents have
published critiques of the arguments put forward by those who
opposed software patents and asked for an exclusion to be added to
the Patent Bill. In this article Peter Harrison, vice President of
the NZOSS responds.

“First I would like to thank the Commerce Committee for the
carefully consideration of the issues around software patents and
applaud their decision to introduce an exclusion for software from
patents. In all honesty it was very unexpected that we would be
able to change the direction of this legislation. That we have put
forward a argument that was sufficiently compelling means our hard
work over the last several years has indeed born fruit.

“Of course we are not naive. This is certainly not the end of
the line; the Government must adopt the report of the Commerce
Committee and pass the legislation. We sincerely hope that the
Government will adopt the careful deliberations of the Commerce
Committee and carry forward the legislation as proposed by the
Commerce Committee. There are many powerful interests who will be
very upset by this decision, and no doubt they will bring every
influence they have to bear on changing this decision.”

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