Hi, What i don't understand:
1. Why is there not more public debat about the european law on software patents. If i understand the message correctly all open source software will be patented if the law is accepted. This means that we will have to pay for using linux, apache, tomcat, php and mmbase in the near future? 2. Which are the organisations which are pushing the european law on software patents. I expect the Europ�isches Patentamt (http://www.european-patent-office.org) is one of the main players. If this is the case, we should also visit: Europees Octrooibureau, Den Haag Patentlaan 2, 2280 HV Rijswijk Tel. (070) 340 20 40 Note: they already have their own "patentlaan", which city will be the first to have a mmbase-street ;-? See you on friday, 10:00u. Regards, Henk. MMatch / MMbase consultancy and implementation Hommelstraat 9A NL-3061 VA Rotterdam T. +31-(0)6-29054903 E. [EMAIL PROTECTED] I. http://www.mmatch.nl > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Pierre van Rooden > Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 11:53 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Friday 14 May, 10:00: protest against the european > patent laws > > > As you all may have heard, through colleagues or the internet > protests > (including the protest page posted for a period at the > mmbase.org site), > the European Committee is making an attempt to push a new law > that will > allow claims for restrictive software patents in Europe. > Allowing patents on software routines is certain to cripple > the European > IT market, hamper innovative development, and make business > for many IT > companies - large and small, non profit and commercial - near > impossible. > Thanks to protests throughout Europe, the plan, which would otherwise > have been handled by bureaucrats, came to the political agenda. The > European Parlement protested against the proposal and > insisted that the > Committee change it to disallow for such restrictive patents. > Unfortunately, the Committee seems not inclined to listen to the only > democractic organ in the European Union. Instead, no doubt under the > influence of large American corporations, they want the Counsil of > Ministers to recognize and set in motion the original plan > dutring next > weeks meeting, turning the already feeble European democracy > into a sham. > > This friday, we plan to hold a protest meeting at the Ministry of > Economic Affairs (Ministery van Economische Zaken) in The Hague. This > could be but a small protest, butw e may also turnthis ina > signmifcant > one if we all attend. > The protest is to commence at 10:00 in the morning. I implore > you all to > attend. > > More information on the demonstration can be found at: > http://wiki.ael.be/index.php/DemoDenHaag > > See also: > http://www.softwarepatenten.be/pers/p8 > > -- > Pierre van Rooden > Mediapark, C 107 tel. +31 (0)35 6772815 > "Never summon anything bigger than your head." > > >
