For the whole decision click here: o03408
Summary
The invention was claimed as a method for manufacturing an information handling system. It allowed a user to select the service options to be provided on an information handling system, eg a personal computer; during its manufacture a program was executed to place customised files on the system so that the “out of box” installation presentation to the user would be based on the selected options. This avoided the problems that might be caused by having redundant or incompatible software on the system, as was previously the case when service choices were not made until installation of the system by the user. Applying the Aerotel test, the hearing officer did not accept that the contribution was a method for making a technically new or better system, since the hardware was the same as before. He held the contribution to be wholly within the s.1(2) exclusions as a business method implemented by means of a computer program, which was not technical in nature.