Joseph Milcinovic ’15
Recently New Zealand has updated its patent bill with a new law which prevents local and international companies receiving software patents. A software patent is “A patent intended to prevent others from using some programming technique.” (webster-dictonary.com) This law is supposed to be approved by legislation in 12 months to prevent “patent trolls” in New Zealand, “a person or company whose sole role is to enforce patent rights” (http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/09/01/new-zealand-ends-patents-for-basic-software/). This allows improvement for the every day inventor by allowing him/her to use certain processors, RAM, or parts to help assist in creating something new without being sued due to use of another product. Matt Adams says that “The way that I look at it, a computer program and a processor are just raw materials like plastic, like wire, like wood and you are not patenting raw materials but you are patenting what you’ve made with those materials”. The bill in New Zealand is to help the inventor by letting them use other materials and designs as a conduit to create something new and better, allowing the country to move forth with the latest and greatest technology.