Upcoming EU Software Patents vote

OK so it looks bad, a directive which is being sold on the basis that it will clarify Europe's stated position on not wanting to patent pure software or business methods, seems to all intents and purposes to allow pretty much anything through that has some form of "technical step" where technical step involves ultimately some "some field of natural science". Having had some experience of the EPO, I know that currently technical in their terms means "involving an appliance of some sort" - where an appliance can mean "server, router, digital pen" - basically anything you can buy that would be delivered physical form.

Question is will this directive change that? Also does this directive allow purely business methods to be patented. And if it does, which seems contrary to at least the spirit of the directive, will the EPO allow them?

Also when big business is cheering on the directive (big business being pro software patenting) doesn't this call the whole thing into question? Shouldn't they be against it (if it did what it was originally intended, i.e. clarify Europe's position of not wanting software patents) ?. It's all terrribly confusing.

So in a last ditch FFII have launched The Economic Majority Against Software Patents. Currently only three Irish entries!