[Nottingham] Euro elections - who're against software patents? (New thread!)

[Alex Tibbles]

>  > So does anyone know which parties are pro and
> against software
>  > patents?

> I've had a few MEP replies from my software patents
> emailings last week. 
> I'm still overwhelmed by pending work at the moment
> but I hope to 
> summarise soonish.
> 
> There must be a web site summarising their views
> somewhere...

I got an email (I think it was from the FIPR list)
just yesterday which detailed platforms from several
parties. Unfortunately I deleted it (my Yahoo space is
limited and I need to keep room for all the adverts
for genital enlargement and Win32 malware). My memory
isn't too bad so perhaps you can trust my summary:

Conservative: pro-patent. not technically informed.

UKIP: anti-patent. not technically informed.

Labour: pro-patent legislation (think that current EU
directive is good because it formalizes what it
patentable; think that directive prevents US-style
business method patents). my judgment: not technically
informed.

Lib Dems: anti-patent, though the MEPs have not always
voted that way. talk to individual MEPs/candidates
(they may or may not follow the general policy).
judgment: confused. not technically informed.

Green: anti-patent. anti-corporate, pro-FOSS,
pro-small-business. mildly technically informed (they
have heard of FOSS!). Voting record (according to
FFII) is consistently against swpat.

Can't remember any others. So a pro-FOSS vote is
green, a pro-big-business vote is Tory, Lib Dem+Labour
are a little undecided in principle, a little more
pragmatic.

hope this helps.
alex


	
	
		
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