Say NO to patents!!!

[John_Thazer]

I been asked to pass this around. Currently there is a bill that is trying to be passed, dealing with how to patent software! This really can affect what people can or cannot make (in terms of software).

More, and full, information on:

EuroLinux

Sign the petition:

Sign the petition here!

Please sign this up!

[RussianVodka]

For more information on how the lack of patents help everyone, read this: http://www.linuxcommand.org/rantings.php

[RussianVodka]

I signed as Joe Polkov.
And as Baran Kozlov.

[fken]

I cant give my opinion because Nada would contradict me but if I were able to give it I would say I already sign the petition and that Im against patents, especially software and chemical ones. But I dont say it I dont want to see a debate here

Russian Vodka? What? you signed for 2 persons? are you kidding?

[Nada]

Originally posted by fken
I cant give my opinion because Nada would contradict me

For that matter, I won\'t.

[Seytra]

I am totally and completely against any extension of patenting. My sig says it all, so I already signed the petition.

For more information on Software Patets (aka \"Patents on Ideas\"), see my sig and this animation.

Please only sign the petition once and with your real name, because otherwise you\'ll be voiding it\'s validity, effectively destroying the reputation of us patent-opponents and hurting the cause instead of helping!

The patent system is, even in it\'s conventional domains, increasingly failing to fulfill it\'s goal. That is something that needs to be addressed, too, but first and foremost the expansion of the failing system must be prevented.

[John_Thazer]

Originally posted by RussianVodka
And as Baran Kozlov.

LMAO!!!

EDIT: I would have to agree with Seytra, on the names. Sign once, and with your real name where possible, if you are using, not real name...choose something...more real gather than russianvodka\'s second choice...

[fken]

if you dont want to write your name dont pollute dont write anything. If you write wrong name I think it would destruct the petitions!

[Monketh]

I\'ll be frank.  Software patents obfuscate compatability and create a non-competitive business environment.  On that ground I oppose.
Patents on chemicals or genes don\'t make much sense either.

However, some patents (ie: mechanical or electronic device patents) are necessary.

[Kiva]

If any of you guys ever bothered to invent something, I\'m pretty sure you would be happy that patents exist. But then again, patenting in our world can get quite out of control, where people patent grass or the smell of burnt wood (or whatever...).

\"Yeap, that\'ll be a fiver for surviving that fire there. You breathed in my patented product, so cough it up!\"

[RussianVodka]

So what\'s up with Linux? I know it\'s open source, but is it patented? Or does it work of a Unix patent?

[Aravi]

If patents were limited to geniunely original ideas, they wouldn\'t be a problem.

Unfortunately the standard for original has dropped significantly where patent offices are concerned. A large part of it is the amount of hassle involved in turning down patents (numerous hearings where the applicants lawyers try to overturn the decision) as opposed to just letting them through.

Software patents in particular bother me, it\'s getting easier and easier to accidentally infringe someone elses patents without knowing - and that is not a good thing in any way whatsoever.

[fken]

Originally posted by Kiva
If any of you guys ever bothered to invent something, I\'m pretty sure you would be happy that patents exist. But then again, patenting in our world can get quite out of control, where people patent grass or the smell of burnt wood (or whatever...).

\"Yeap, that\'ll be a fiver for surviving that fire there. You breathed in my patented product, so cough it up!\"

First I would be happy if I had the money required to get a patent. (Even little companies hasnt the money required).

Then patent on program means patents on idea. For example in USA there is a patent on the possibility to add a \"buy\" button on your website. Thats what I heard...

Patents has allowed Creative Labs to force id software to add their EAX sound in thier product thanks to a patent they had on a work which is (moreover) not theirs. Still whats said.

Do you like openoffice? because if patents pass the .doc documents will be patented by MS -> you will be forced to buy MS Office to create a .doc file even if openoffice creators never cheated and re-created the .doc architecture legaly.

Off course when you are a little scientist and when a big company steal your work there is no problem to create a patent and tell you bye bye then...

I know university and french great ingineers schools are known because some teachers create patents on their pupils projects...

In each case patent kill creativity. in each case patents are bad because if you arent rich you become weak (someone rich can have the patent and say you - not officially - thank you after...).

In USA a guy learnt his own DNA was patented.

In European parliament, some politicals said it was a threat for the freedom of expression.
-> program are only logical ideas
example :
-------------------
if something
then something else
-------------------
software patents are the first step before ideas patent.

In european parliament, the defensors of the patents said it was a way to save little companies. The ones who refuse the patents answer : do you know a lot of little companies which are able to pay the price of a patent easily? Off course the answer was no, there isnt.

patents voting of the parliament has been ignored by the commission - even if it was one of the most actively defended/refused law. Then the commission tried to vote it secretly by adding it on the schedule at the very last time to be sure there will be no opponents. Poland was in favour of software patent but Poland prime minister came to say \"you can do that everywhere you want but not in my country\". It has been tried something like 3 or 4 times in others countries (each time prime minister of the country came ..and so one).

The minister council tried to make this law pass.

Soem european parliament members said some companies like MS was very annoying and stressed the parliament member. Some were forced to take holiday (i dunno how to say that... Im sorry my english is very primary one).

In USA, some people took the justice and said patents were a \"crime against the constitution\". Justice is overtaken (too many people are complaining).

Do you know how many softwares linux is representing ? If there were a patent for each linux program it would be an amazing price. Patents will kill every little programmer\'s softwares and every free or opensource softwares: if its free how can you buy a patent? so say good bye to every free program you know (Mozilla, PHP, openoffice, firefox, amsn, gaim, ...). And will Talad be ready to pay between 10000 and 20000 euros for ps ? because one day a guy will create a patent for the use of the crafting in a mmorpg... or anything else...

Off course it looks like something bad... isnt it ?

[lynx_lupo]

Just one thing, this is all too late.

[fken]

i dont think so.

source : FFII

Dear ***bip*** (all you have to know is fken),

The debate in the European Parliament on software patents is
reaching a critical phase. We expect the vote in the committee
for legal affairs (JURI) to take place on 20 or 21 June, and the
European Parliament second reading vote to be on 6 July.

MEPs realise that there is much at stake and both sides are devoting
a lot of resources to support their case. The companies that remain
silent are simply not being counted.

NOW is the time to act. This is the message to pass on to people
running businesses most at risk from the software-patent threat.


YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

The FFII is organising a conference on 1 June 2005 in Brussels.
We hope to see you there; see below for details.

If you are representing a European enterprise yourself, there
are several more things you can do to help us to prevent software
patents in the EU. If possible, please take all of the following
actions:

 * Unless you already did so, please sign the EuroLinux petition
   (http://petition.eurolinux.org and the FFII supporter list
   (http://aktiv.ffii.org/euparl/en.

 * In addition to this online \"signature\", please print out the
   Call for Action III (http://patinfo.ffii.org/material/cfa/,
   sign it, and fax it to the FFII at +49-201-755440. We are
   collecting these signatures in order to attach them to a (paper)
   letter to the MEPs, similar to what EICTA did in April (see:
   http://swpat.ffii.org/log/05/eictasme04/pro-patent-smes.pdf.
   The signatures will not be published anywhere else.

 * Please add your company to the \"Economic Majority Against
   Software Patents\" list at http://www.economic-majority.com/.

 * Please continue to write (paper) letters to your representatives
   in the European Parliament explaining, in your own words, why you
   are concerned.

 * Please visit our conference on 1 June in Brussels (see the
   invitation below). Your presence makes a difference for the
   MEPs you will meet there.

 * Please go to Brussels and explain your concerns to the MEPs.
   We can help you to arrange a meeting and, if necessary, to find
   a hotel. Please send questions and possible dates for meeting
   MEPs to .
   We have already arranged and held several meetings, and each one
   is very significant because it helps MEPs see how important this
   issue is.

 * The week of 17-20th May is constituency week for the MEPs, which
   means they will be in their home countries. This is an excellent
   chance for you to get in contact with them and pay them a visit
   without the need for travelling to Brussels.

For basic introduction to the topic, we recommend (in this order):

  http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/en/m/basics/index.html  http://patinfo.ffii.org/faq.en.html  http://swpat.ffii.org/log/intro/index.en.html
If you are convinced about the urgency of this matter but you have
difficulties communicating this to your business partners or to your
superiors, the following presentation could be useful to you:

  http://patinfo.ffii.org/material/ing-it/

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Thanks to the continuous work of the FFII and its supporters, the
MEPs are beginning to understand the problems induced by software
patents. It has become obvious that neither the industry nor the
academic institutions support the Council version of the directive:

 * UEAPME, an umbrella organisation representing 11 million
   European SMEs employing around 50 million people, finds large
   companies misrepresenting SMEs\' stance on software patents.
   See: http://wiki.ffii.org/Ueapme050427En
 * A German survey of more than 1,000 companies took the German
   government by surprise when the vast majority spoke out clearly
   against software patents.
   See: http://wiki.ffii.org/Ifis050404En
 * More recently still, 10,000 to 15,000 students, teachers and
   staff at more than 35 Spanish universities protested against
   the directive proposed by the Council.
   See http://lucha.proinnova.org/for photos and information.

Several MEPs, including the rapporteur Michel Rocard, have submitted
good amendments to the preparatory JURI report on the directive.
Now they need to see their actions legitimised by your support. Your
voice will give them the necessary moral backing to convince their
colleagues, and needs to be heard now more than ever.


INVITATION

The FFII cordially invites you to its

    Conference on the proposed Software Patent Directive
    on 1st June 2005 in Brussels
    in the European Parliament and the Renaissance Hotel.

Please find the preliminary program here:

    http://swpat.ffii.org/events/2005/bxl0601/
The conference is co-organized with the Computer & Communications
Industry Association (CCIA) and four European People\'s Party (EPP)
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different countries.
The conference is free of charge. You can register either by
replying to this email with the form at the bottom filled in,
or by visiting the above web page.


Please help us to defend your business against software patents!

With kind regards,

  Erik Josefsson      Felipe Wersen

  Hartmut Pilch       Dr. Peter Gerwinski

Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII)


CONFERENCE REGISTRATION AND SUPPORT

[ ] I will participate in the morning session (Parliament).
[ ] I will participate in the afternoon session (Renaissance Hotel)
[ ] Please contact me to provide help with hotel rooms
    (Renaissance Hotel, Maison du Dragon Hotel or Gogh Hostel).

[ ] I am representing a company and I wish our company logo to be
    on the program to show support by sending it to em-logos@ffii.org.
    (Note that you can do this even without attending the conference!)

[ ] I am representing a company and willing to publish a statement like
    http://www.economic-majority.com/testimony/wuensche/,
    Please contact me for details.

You are getting this email because you have registered as sadangel
at http://aktiv.ffii.org/.If you think that you got this email
by error, please reply and let us know. In that case, we apologise
for the inconvenience. You also can localise via aktiv.ffii.org
to your place of residence (resulting in e.g. messages being sent
to you in your place\'s language when available).