Software Patents rear their ugly heads again

[Calum]

You may have been following the Software Patents issue being voted on this year in Europe, as described here.

I'd like to make you aware of the software patents directive due for vote on September 1st in the European Commission. Countries like America have shown real problems with software patents, most notably when Amazon patented the "one-click shopping" technology.

Software patents do not promote technological development, and will harm the future of Free Software.


If you are able to, please consider attending the real demonstration that will take place in Brussels on the 27th August. If not, then please display a similar message on your web site, and take action with FFII.


Cette message est là pour protester contre la directive sur les brevets logiciels
devant être votée le 1er septembre par la Commission Européenne. Des pays comme les USA ont démontré les graves problèmes posés par ces brevets ; en particulier avec celui déposé par Amazon sur le "one click shopping".

Les brevets logiciels n'encouragent pas le développement technologique et ne feront que nuire au futur des logiciels libres.

Si vous en avez la possibilité, n'hésitez pas à aller participer à la manifestation qui aura lieu à Bruxelles le 27 août. Sinon, vous pouvez placer un message similaire à celui-ci sur votre site, et soutenir l'action de la FFII.

[SuSELinux]

Does this affect non EU members like the UK?

[Calum]

it doesn't affect non EU members, however the UK is an EU member, so yes it affects the UK.

[SuSELinux]

Pardon me

I really thought the UK was still in Limbo about the joining the EU

But I was Wrong, Looks bad for a Canadian not to know about England


Are people brainwashed, why are so many people ok with this?

I am a member of a national party here in Canada

anyone else a member of a Party?

'cause thats the only way your going to see things like this change.

[Calum]

well it's a two pronged pincer movement. on one side the people doing the moving and shaking rely on and promote widespread public apathy (as has been increasingly the case since the seventies), they also postpone the dates of votes in the hope that people will get bored, or they'll allo protest on different days making them look disorganised and weak. On the other side most people are sheep and think that so long as somebody is in power, that's their job and that's it. most people simply do not care what happens in law or politics so long as they themselves personally (and if they're really considerate, their wife and kids) are alright. And that's the problem behind most political agendas these days. people are too busy worrying about themselves to trust each other, get together and affect social change.