Posts by Sacha
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Oh, and if they want to censor their media, how about we knock out other forms of intel that would hurt their unelected dictator and cronies more than the general public. If McCully even knew what balls were, there'd be a chance.
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Cutting off their armed forces' UN peacekeeping deployment gravy train/mana wagon would help.
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Without wishing to inflame another copyright war in a thread where we have good stories to celebrate, IP lawyer Guy Burgess's recent column about software patents seems relevant (h/t Colin Jackson).
So, in the main, it appears that those unhappy about the decision are limited to the local subsidiaries of major international patent holders, their association (NZICT), and their local business partners. Their opposition is understandable. There are certainly some advantages to software patents to existing holders – but there are more disadvantages and other reasons not to allow them.
Banning software patents will align New Zealand with the European Union and remove a significant threat to the local industry. The general unavailability of software patents in the EU does not seem to have held back the IT sector in that region (or indeed the development of the internet itself). No compelling arguments have been put forward to indicate that New Zealand will somehow have a different experience after the new law takes effect. Instead, as the Select Committee unanimously found and the Government has agreed, the removal of software from patentability is a positive move, and one that has support across New Zealand’s IT industry.
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Heh. A name like that has to be asking for it
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Which was driven by political interference.
Exactly, what Pharmac usually avoids
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However government money is not spent on expensive fashionable versions of drugs. Or on expensive drugs of limited value.
(cough) Herceptin (cough)
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I'm impressed that you taught him to walk past the golden arches
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Yay, we winkled Mark out of PAS retirement
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always seemed to overlook us when those Ooonst gigs were put on. We were the only dance show on B and we were not even given tickets to the bloody things.
Acts of kindness perhaps :)
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Thanks, Scott. As a matter of interest, do you know if other industries use patent tit-for-tat in disputes like large software companies seem to?