[Nottingham] Action required! New ("clandestine") EU Software Patent Legislation: a real threat for Linux and Open Source

[Martin]

Martin Garton wrote:
> On Thu, 13 May 2004, Martin wrote:
[...]
>>corporate greed is trying the same trick with software patents to
>>control how we can or cannot use any programmed device...
> 
> I think if we are to win this argument on software patents, we should
> explain that the software industry is nothing like these other industries
> because competition in our industry has always been on the implementations
> not on the ideas.
> 
> I think arguing that software is more like books and music than like cars
> and pharmaceuticals if the right approach, and as such they should be
> protected by copyright, not by patents.  Not only is is the obvious truth
> IMO, but it doesn't make us as easy to label as a bunch of radicals.

Agreed on all counts...


> Now the question of whether patents as a whole are a good thing is a much
> wider topic, and tackling that (assuming you disagree with patents as a
> whole) is biting off more than we can chew.

My opinion is that the original idea of patents to protect an individual 
craftman's innovation, and later to that of promoting R&D by giving that 
investment some protection, are all fair ideas. However, patents useage 
has more recently been stretched to the point of now being 
counterproductive for all except the legal profession and support 
services. (And I'm helping one of those service groups at the moment... 
(:-|)

I think the argument is one of fair useage and fair reward over that of 
deliberate strategic monopolistic leverage.


> ... off list to a forum topic. Let's take it there.

http://nottingham.lug.org.uk/new//?q=node/view/20&PHPSESSID=37a591bd0fc0709ab81aafa8942deac9


We can leave this thread for notes of who's been motivated to contact 
their MP & MEP.


Keep open source open!

Regards,
Martin

-- 
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Martin Lomas
martin at ml1.co.uk
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