MAYBE AMAZON'S TO BLAME FOR THE FAILED EU CII DIRECTIVE . . . Looking at much of the commentary regarding the EU smack-down of computer-implemented inventions, there is nary an article that doesn't drag out the old nag of Amazon's "one-click" patent, inject their personal (and usually non-professional) claim construction into the patent, and wave it like a dirty diaper in front EU legislators as a "see - this is what will happen if we allow software patents" message:

The FFII-UK and many others feared the that the passing of the bill would lead to Europe following the US and allowing business processes to be patented. This has led to online store Amazon patenting and protecting its one-click shopping system (BBC).

It is however bodies that represent smaller companies that have been most vocal in opposition of this directive. Many feel liberal patent laws would lead us down a road towards the US-style system which has in the past awarded patents for something as trivial as one-click shopping (PCPro UK).

Opponents of the law are concerned that the new directive will move Europe towards the US system of giving patents for Internet business models such as online bookseller Amazon's one-click shopping technique (EUObserver).

The proposal would not have extended patent protections as far as current U.S. law, which currently permits the patenting of business methods and computer programs, such as Amazon.com's famously patented One-Click ordering system (Designtechnica.com)

The bill would have stopped short of the U.S. system that allows patenting of business methods or computer programs such as Amazon.com Inc.'s "one-click" shopping technique, which gives consumers a quick system to buy goods on its Web site. (CBS News)

The anti-software-patent crowd appears to follow the same line of arguments: argue from principle; if you can't do that, argue from circumstance; if you can't do either, condemn the one-click patent . . .