book review: intellectual property law

1
268 Euro Compliance Risks Developers Association (BASDA).The first implication of this is that the unprepared organizations will begin to suffer severe inconvenience and potential financial losses as the inability of their systems to deal with euro-based processing begins to bite.The second is that they will find the cost of rectifying the problem escalates rapidly in line with the length of their delay, as the available consulting and software development resources required to implement solutions to the problem become more scarce. Will this then be another cash cow for the IT industry in the same manner as Y2K? The potential is obviously there, and the larger consultancies will doubtlessly be happy for the additional work to help fill emptier than usual order books resulting from the recent economic downturn. However, just as with Y2K, such opportunities will not come without risk. Specifically, one can imagine claims against IT suppliers resulting from failures to implement euro-compliant systems by specified end dates (e.g. the date on which the UK formally adopts the euro). IT suppliers will accordingly need to proceed with caution, and be mindful of unrealistic deadlines being proposed by the more desper- ate of their client base. 3. CONCLUSION Business has clearly learned from Y2K; indeed, in many ways the relative lack of obvious problems at the millennium end could be viewed as a testament to the effort put into publicizing the Y2K problem and mobilizing the necessary resources to address it. However, whilst the more prudent organizations will have read the writing on the wall and put in place the necessary changes to embrace the euro at the same time as our European brethren, the risk remains that many systems have yet to be made compli- ant, leaving their owners and operators exposed to as yet unquantifiable problems.Accordingly,regardless of whether one loves the pound, one must also learn to love the euro. Kit Burden, Report Correspondent, Partner Barlow, Lyde and Gilbert IT & E-Commerce Group Email: [email protected] BOOK REVIEW Intellectual Property Law Introduction to Intellectual Property Law, Fourth Edition by Jeremy Phillips & Alison Firth, 2001, Butterworths, soft-cover, 443pp., ISBN 0 406 99757 8. This work provides a lively and illuminating introduction to intellectual property law written by two authors who express surprise at the integrated product of their work,given their different approaches to the law. They have neverthe- less succeeded in providing a sound and useful starting point to the law of intellectual property. The latest edition has been updated to include all recent developments including those to the Copyright and Designs Patent Act 1988, the European Patent Convention and Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Madrid Agreement, the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the WIPO Copyright Treaty and Performances and Phonograms Treaty. There are six sections and twenty eight chapters which, following an introduction and sections on inventions and copyright, go on to look at pseudo-copyright; rights and information; and some topics of current interest - which include problems with new technology, protection of industrial designs and plant varieties, some issues of authorization and secondary infringe- ment of copyright, and intellectual property rights within the European Community and on the international stage. Available from Butterworths Tolley, Halsbury House, 35 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1EL. See also: <www.butter- worths.com/academic>.

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Page 1: BOOK REVIEW: Intellectual Property Law

268

Euro Compliance Risks

Developers Association (BASDA).The first implication of this isthat the unprepared organizations will begin to suffer severeinconvenience and potential financial losses as the inability oftheir systems to deal with euro-based processing begins to bite.The second is that they will find the cost of rectifying the problem escalates rapidly in line with the length of their delay,as the available consulting and software development resourcesrequired to implement solutions to the problem become morescarce.

Will this then be another cash cow for the IT industry inthe same manner as Y2K? The potential is obviously there,and the larger consultancies will doubtlessly be happy forthe additional work to help fill emptier than usual orderbooks resulting from the recent economic downturn.However, just as with Y2K, such opportunities will not come without risk. Specifically, one can imagine claimsagainst IT suppliers resulting from failures to implementeuro-compliant systems by specified end dates (e.g. the dateon which the UK formally adopts the euro). IT suppliers willaccordingly need to proceed with caution, and be mindful

of unrealistic deadlines being proposed by the more desper-ate of their client base.

3. CONCLUSION

Business has clearly learned from Y2K; indeed, in many ways therelative lack of obvious problems at the millennium end could beviewed as a testament to the effort put into publicizing the Y2Kproblem and mobilizing the necessary resources to address it.However, whilst the more prudent organizations will have readthe writing on the wall and put in place the necessary changesto embrace the euro at the same time as our European brethren,the risk remains that many systems have yet to be made compli-ant, leaving their owners and operators exposed to as yetunquantifiable problems.Accordingly, regardless of whether oneloves the pound,one must also learn to love the euro.

KKiitt BBuurrddeenn, Report Correspondent, Partner Barlow, Lyde andGilbert IT & E-Commerce GroupEmail: [email protected]

BOOK REVIEW

Intellectual Property Law

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This work provides a lively and illuminating introduction to intellectual property law written by two authors whoexpress surprise at the integrated product of their work, given their different approaches to the law. They have neverthe-less succeeded in providing a sound and useful starting point to the law of intellectual property. The latest edition hasbeen updated to include all recent developments including those to the Copyright and Designs Patent Act 1988, theEuropean Patent Convention and Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Madrid Agreement, the Agreement on Trade RelatedAspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the WIPO Copyright Treaty and Performances and Phonograms Treaty. Thereare six sections and twenty eight chapters which, following an introduction and sections on inventions and copyright, goon to look at pseudo-copyright; rights and information;and some topics of current interest - which include problems withnew technology, protection of industrial designs and plant varieties, some issues of authorization and secondary infringe-ment of copyright, and intellectual property rights within the European Community and on the international stage.

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