“The forthcoming directive has incurred the wrath of the open
source community by proposing – for the first time – that software
can be patented in Europe. It aims to protect the interests of
small-scale developers who have invested all their resources in
their product.”
“The EC recognises the dangers. One official told silicon.com:
“We are treading very carefully, so that we get the right balance
between the interests of developers who need incentives, and small
users who would possibly have to pay for this.”
“At the heart of the debate is a widespread fear that Europe
– one of the few trading blocks in the world that currently has no
software patents – will follow the US model.”