Software Patents - Net Strike 2004-05-09 to 2004-05-15

[Solar]

The reactions on the last call for a net strike against software patents encouraged me to bring to your attention the second round in FFII's initiative against the current push towards unrestricted patentability of software, algorithms, protocols, and websites in the European Union.

[Curufir]

**** the EU. I do not hold myself accountable to an unelected beaurocracy.

Apologies for the language, but those pricks in Brussels are really starting to irritate me.

[Solar]

Welcome to politics. I think quite a few US citicens feel the same about their president.

But no matter whether you voted for them or not, they're putting you into horse droppings, and all you can do is yell like hell... (or voting for Kelly, or closing your website in protest and calling your elected representative and explain the issue to him / her). Mostly they aren't evil, just ignorant...

[ASHLEY4]

I do not think,they are evil, or ignorant ,But in the pockets of big business >:(.

ASHLEY4.

[DennisCGc]

I do not think,they are evil, or ignorant ,But in the pockets of big business >:(.

That doesn't matter, there's just one fact:
If this will be done, then the implentation of severe protocols aren't possible.
I just hate those *******. >:(

[Pype.Clicker]

http://www.lalibre.be/article.phtml?id= ... _id=167127

sounds that we finally made it ... you may be proud of your country's leaders, Solar

European ministers (...) agreed on the text about "inventions on computers"
The approved text formally excludes the fact that a software - either as source or binary code - may be patented 'as is'.

[Solar]

A fine example on how successful the pro-patent lobby is in their public relations.

No, the paper (allowing unlimited patentability of software, protocols, data structures, and ideas) passed the council of ministers virtually unchanged, and will now be presented to the European Parliament late this year. Unless the Parliament declines the paper - which is now the focus of FFII's further actions - this paper will be turned into European Law.

I am not proud of Germany - had Germany voted against the paper (or even abstained from their vote), as they promised to do only days before the vote took place, the paper would have been dead.

Instead, Germany voted for the paper after some most trivial changes were made in "compromise". Without Germany taking strong position against the paper, several other countries were also swayed since they based their opposition on Germany's position.

Read up on the subject at http://kwiki.ffii.org/?Cons040518En. This battle is long from over, but the patent lobby tries to make you believe it is.

[Pype.Clicker]

err ... i'm completely confused ... what's the use for news paper if they do not provide correct information ...

Sorry, i didn't meant to be sarcastic.

[kataklinger]

err ... i'm completely confused ... what's the use for news paper if they do not provide correct information ...

Do you really think so?
Provide correct infos? YEAH! >:(

[mystran]

err ... i'm completely confused ... what's the use for news paper if they do not provide correct information ...

You should be careful about what you say. You're not supposed to notice that news papers (and rest of the media) aren't supposed to be objective reporters but a forum for whatever propaganda the publishers and their sponsors and advertizers are willing spread. If that happens to overlap with "correct information" then fine, but I'd not count on their priorities. It's all about making people to think you are telling the truth.

[Tim]

But there are different standards of media. People in the United Kingdom, for instance, are spoiled for relatively unbiased reporting (the Daily Mirror notwithstanding). Compare the BBC TV news with Fox, for example.

[Solar]

Yet still you're at a loss when, given the highly technical / legal nature of the subject, the reporter writing the article is clueless - and calls upon a lobbyist to explain the subject to him.

I still strongly recommend http://www.ffii.org for reference, even if it's a bit hard to navigate. But as a real short summary:

* suggestion to "harmonize" EU patent law with the US patent law is issued by the patent lobby (e.g., Nokia);
* EU parliament declines that suggestion late 2003, and demands sweeping changes to make software patents impossible; this is thanks to a first wave of protest led by FFII.
* EU council of ministers proposes a "revised" suggestion, which addresses none of the points demanded by the parliament, and to the contrary, is even more pro-SWpatent than the original paper, including unlimited patentability of data structures, protocols, and business ideas.
* This latter paper has been voted for last week, and - since German representatives broke their promises - will be put to the EU parliament late this year.

The situation is volatile, because the EU parliament will be reelected during the year - meaning that the parliament voting for this new paper will be a different one than the one that declined the paper last year. The patent lobby is literally spending millions on PR, and most representatives are absolutely clueless on the implications of software patents.

That's why FFII is currently focussing on contacting the representatives and making them sensitive to the situation. Every single letter, every phone call will help. Yes, that's democracy: call your representative and tell him / her about the issue at hand. This requires some sophistication - having your arguments spread out before you, and being prepared to face the FUD the opposing lobbyists are spreading. That's why the FFII is coordinating efforts.

Even if you're not in a mind of actively participating - you can still help by passing the work, and pointing out http://www.ffii.org when the issue comes up.

Just like I am doing here, and now I'll shut up.

[Solar]

My last posting on the issue.

EU parliament is elected June 13th - not even two weeks from now. Make sure you place your vote. If software patents concern you, get informed on the subject at

http://swpat.ffii.org/papiere/europarl0 ... ex.en.html

and the options you have in the election, at

http://kwiki.ffii.org/ElectAct0405En

This is serious. Brussels might seem far away for most EU citizens, but what will be decided there is essentially the future of Software Engineering.

[Candy]

EU parliament is elected June 13th - not even two weeks from now. Make sure you place your vote. If software patents concern you, get informed on the subject at

http://swpat.ffii.org/papiere/europarl0 ... ex.en.html

and the options you have in the election, at

http://kwiki.ffii.org/ElectAct0405En

This is serious. Brussels might seem far away for most EU citizens, but what will be decided there is essentially the future of Software Engineering.

For Dutch people it's the 10th of June. Parties like the SP and GroenLinks give explicit no's to the software patents, should you still be floating

My vote is going to the SP for sure. (SP == socialist party)

[fraserjgordon]

Considering some of the replies to the "personal question" topic, half the people here won't be eligible to vote.