[Hudlug] RMS in Sheffield - next weekend

[Tim Bray]

[I am most definitely going to this, if I can still get a ticket]

The Institution of Electrical Engineers, South Yorkshire Branch in
association with...

* British Computer Society (South Yorkshire Branch)
* Business Link South Yorkshire
* Setpoint South Yorkshire - Engineering Ambassadors Programme
* Sheffield Linux User Group (Sheflug)
* The Redundant Technology Initiative

Presents:
"Software Patents - A Barrier to Innovation"
...to be given by

Richard M Stallman (aka RMS)
GNU Project / Free Software Foundation

Saturday, 25 October at 13:00. (Light refreshments served from 12:00)
Venue: Stoddart Building, Room 7140
Sheffield Hallam University City Campus

Synopsis: 
"Free As In Freedom"
--------------------------------------------
"In the USA, patent law is applicable to both software and business 
methods,
something which European countries have to date avoided. Changes in EU 
law to
extend the scope of patents to software are currently being debated in
Brussels but due to major public protest have so far been rejected."

"RMS argues that such extensions are inappropriate and will remove the
existing freedoms to build upon the published work of others. This will
create barriers to innovation in the field, particularly amongst the SME
sector where complex legal issues have a disproportionate
effect."

"This presentation will be of interest to all those who develop or use
software and provides an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face one 
of the world's most widely respected individuals in the field."

Registration:
--------------
A £5 (inc VAT) registration fee is required for this event to help cover 
the cost of refreshments which will be served from approximately 12:00.

The event is expected to attract a large audience, so you are advised to 
book early by telephone using the Business Link South Yorkshire Gateway 
at...

0800 073 7474

Payment can be made by major credit cards and Switch.

FURTHER DETAILS:
-----------------------
Richard Stallman: http://www.stallman.org/
Free Software Foundation: http://www.fsf.org/
GNU Project: http://www.gnu.org/

IEE South Yorkshire:
http://www.iee.org/OnComms/Branches/UK/England/NorthE/SYorks/
BCS South Yorkshire: http://bcs.shef.ac.uk/
Business Link South Yorkshire: http://www.blsy.com
Setpoint South Yorkshire: http://www.shu.ac.uk/setpoint/
Sheflug: http://www.sheflug.co.uk/

The Institution of Electrical Engineers is registered in the UK as a charity