My good friend Zak Greant spotted a news item at Techworld, where the European Commission appears to have changed its position on software patents.

Have a read, it’s interesting and I hope that it really does indicate a new direction from the commission and not just one loose statement. If it is for real, that’s absolutely great, but let’s not be complacent and think “that’s it”. The pro-swpat lobbyists certainly won’t give up, they have strong interests and stacks of cash driving them.
Of course it’s not helpful to preach to the converted, but encouragement to continue on this path seems like a good idea. I’ll happily give politicians kudos and encouragement when they do good stuff!

Also, if you haven’t yet checked out No Lobbyists as Such, please do. It’s by Florian Mueller, who led what I would call “round one” of this marathon within the European Union, telling about his experiences: how the EU software patent directive was defeated last year, against all odds and against a strong (and rich) opposition.