The PHP development team has discovered that the PHP scripting language infringes on patent number EP0646864 (click on the "Claims" button to see the description), granted by the European Patent Office to Nippon Electric Co in 1995. This is a software patent on the principle of optimising compilers. Unfortunately, it appears we have unknowingly stolen this incredible invention and added optimisation functionality to our compiler without asking them for a license first.
Did you know that the above paragraph could turn into reality if the European Parliament approves the proposed directive on software patents September 1st?
Although software and business method patents are currently illegal in
Europe, the European Patents Office (EPO) has been granting them anyway (because they make good money doing so). Now, certain people in the European Parliament are trying to legalise this kind of unlimited patentability, instead of telling the EPO to respect the law!