The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in a recent ruling has held that a web page can be considered as a valid evidence of prior art and the date on the webpage could be taken at its face value. The ruling is in response to an appeal by a bank disputing the decison of the patent examiner rejecting their patent application for a method for authenticating users of a website. The news story which would be of interest to staff in IP and commercialistion departments and other legal and IT staff at institutions can be accessed at http://www.out-law.com/default.aspx?page=10148