Utyman's Heirs
01 May 2010
A monthly column devoted to IP curiosities and controversies, named in honour of John of Utynam – who received the world’s first recorded patent in 1449 diary@managingip.com
Not that kind of IP
The recent debate about the Digital Economy Act in Britain was certainly cantankerous. In one corner the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, among others, pushed hard for strong legislation to deal with downloaders of copyright-infringing material and steadfastly maintained that taking internet users' access away is not the same as disconnecting them.
In the other corner, the Open Rights Group argued that if passed, the bill would lead to the end of life as we know it. Utynam was pleased then that the debate had an arbitrator, in the form of Digital Britain Minister Stephen Timms. One would certainly think that he was qualified for the role: before entering Parliament in 1994, the politician worked in the telecommunications industry. Who better to steer the debate, walking the tightrope between the two nuanced arguments, while adding his technological know-how to the mix.
But Utynam was...
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