[wellylug] Patent directive slammed at UKPO workshop - ZDNet UK News

[Martin Bähr]

On Mon, Apr 11, 2005 at 07:30:07PM +0000, Brent Wood wrote:
> Getting a bit OT, but given a few msgs on software patents here
> recently, this may be of interest to some.

(sorry, if i keep raising my voice on this topic)
i don't think this issue is off topic at all, unless you consider the
ability to develop software to be off topic.

software patents influence the our ability to develop software.
if they are enforced all of new zealands software industry will cease to
exist. not only free software developers, but all commercial developers
even more so. there is no copany in new zealand that would be strong
enough to fend off a patent attack by one of the big players like
microsoft or IBM. the same is true for europe (SAP, or siemens which are
quite large actually are still to small and do not have enough patents
to defend themselves)

this topic can not be made important enough.

as a linux list the main topic is the choice to use linux.
but if softwarepatents are enforced this choice will be gone.

greetings, martin.
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