[parisc-linux] European Union and Software-Patents

[Helge Deller]

Hi Grant,
Hi List,

On Sunday 11 April 2004 08:18, Grant Grundler wrote:
> Hi,
> While SW patents seems slightly off topic because it's not directly
> technical, I've been asked to put up a banner on www.parisc-linux.org
> to protest the European Union SW patent directive.

Thanks for bringing this topic up on this list.

> Some examples of such banners are here:
> 
> 	http://demo.ffii.org/online.php
> 	http://www.kde.org/
> 	http://bh.udev.org/
> 
> A bit more info is on
>    http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/04/04/10/1627239.shtml?tid=117&tid=155&tid=99
> 
> Personnally, I have a hard time with SW patents though I understand
> the general intent of patents. But given my affialation with HP,
> HP's generous sponsorship of parisc-linux (web site hosting, servers,
> HW donations), and HPs recent activities with IP (Intellectual Property),
> I'm not the right person to implement such a banner without some
> input from HP business or legal groups.

Fully understandable.
Just to make sure - the demo is not against software patents in general,
it against unlimited patentability and thus against "simple patents", generic 
software things like e.g. progress bars, tabs in GUIs and so on. 
Just have look at demo webshop at the ffii.org website to see what kind of 
patents it's really about: http://webshop.ffii.org/
 
> With a bit more private discussion (please send me opinions *privately*
> if you have to), it's possible someone from the European Union with
> CVS write access could add such a banner. parisc-linux.org should also
> represent the volunteers that currently support the parisc-linux port,
> not just HP.

I'm willing to put up a box on the website as you can see on http://www.kde.org/
if people here on the list agree to this. Since the decisions in brussels will happen
on april 15th, I need to know your opinions on this really soon.

Helge Deller
Germany