[SLUG] Lib Dem patent response

[Farrell Burnett]

Well, I thought (despite all the cheering for the party and verbosity) 
that this is the best response that John has received.  About a million 
miles down, Wallis concedes that Parliament's second reading really 
turns on the definition of 'technical contribution'.  None of us know 
exactly what the Directive means by it and, as Wallis points out, if it 
is broadly defined then it could be a huge blow to open source 
developers.  The UK government's workshops on 'technological 
contribution' are still ongoing but I'll report to the list when I hear 
anything of substance that emerges from them.  Also any news on the 
second reading.  And I'll keep it short!

Wallis did not touch upon what I think is a major stumbling block about 
this Directive:  that open source developers really cannot deal in 
patents (see GPL) at all, whether the software patented implements a 
technological contribution or not.

Best,

Farrell
-- 
Dr Farrell Burnett
30 Sussex Street, Scarborough, North Yorkshire  YO11 1BJ
Tel:  01723-341272; 07808612180 (mobile)
farrell at mount-liberty.demon.co.uk