[ILUG] Somtware Patents Info Required

[John Madden]

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On (08/03/05 13:30), kevin lyda didst pronounce:
> if john's reading is correct it will hurt more companies than niall
> mentions.  as john points out, aib and boi both do topups on their atm
> machines.  and several companies offer pre-paid topup vending machines.
> 
My basic understanding of it, from reading less than half of the crap on
the page, is that it is a front-end system to issue PINs for prepaid 
phone cards etc. This system gets its PINs periodically from a back-end 
computer. The only difference between what this patent covers and the 
credit machines I've seen in shops is that they seem to contact home base 
for each transaction, as opposed to having a number of PINs stored ready 
for dispensing.

I was also thinking of the functionality to change your PIN from an ATM.
Surely this PIN has to be recorded onto the ATM card aswell as stored by
the bank. Potentially, this could infringe aswell, since the input
device is still a keypad, and the recording device is a metallic strip
on the ATM card.

> however there's really not much more i can add on this part of the
> topic.  however if just one patent can have this much effect on irish
> industry, it is clear to me that mccreevey's action if left unchecked
> will have a disasterous effect on irish companies.
> 
I've emailed the three Southern MEP's (from Colm's list) -- Simon
Coveny, Brian Crowley and Kathy Sinnott, and have asked that they
request a statement from McCreevy on his part in forcing through this
directive, against the expressed democratic wishes of the parliament and
of many Irish software developers and open source advocates. Hopefully
some TD will raise the issue with him at some stage. I'd be interested
in hearing his response to it.

- -- 
Chat ya later,

John.
- --
BOFH excuse #122: because Bill Gates is a Jehovah's witness and so 
nothing can work on St. Swithin's day.
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