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Re: [LUG] Open Source and EU patent law



I don't think Rick is over reacting.

The only thing which keeps business under control
in a free market economy is the law. (There are no
ethics in business especially for the big corporations.)
And any relaxation in any law which controls business
correspondingly diminishes the power of us all.

Remember we tolerate a free market economy
because we believe it is the most efficient means
of providing us with the goods and services we require
and not because the free market is an end in itself.
Freedom is NOT a free market. (The US has always
had  great difficulty in understanding this although
the rest of the world understands it only too well.)

If the EU relaxes the patent laws the big muscled
corporations will have more room to exercise their
power over smaller fry and in the face of giants like
Microsoft, Open Source dosen't stand a chance in
hell of existing as anything other than a "lunatic fringe".

Once again corporate needs will have triumphed
over the individual's right of choice.
The saddest thing of all is that this will happen without
the large majority of us even knowing it has happened.

If I am denied the right to choose to use OS software
then I like Tom Brough will gladly be called a communist.

Keith   

On Tuesday 01 July 2003 9:30 pm, Rick Timmis wrote:
> I could be over reacting here, but I think that if this Patent issue
> gets through EU Parliment then potentially the OS movement and Linux
> could be screwed !
>
> Scenario:
>
> With such patents in place small developers and developer communities
> could be pipped at the post with patent applications. The very nature of
> OS relies on Open Collaboration this immediatley releases conceptual
> ideas out to the community and also Others (AKA Major Software Coorps).
> There are legal fee's associated with patent applications. How would a
> voluntary community fund this ?
>
> Once the Patent is in place Major Corp can then give OS Developer
> community a right good kicking. As OS Dev's are recognised as
> individuals rather than a company body, then which individual would
> actually attempt to make a release of their software ? As this would
> expose them to instant prosecution.
>
> Additonally this could allow Major Corps to financially destroy OS
> Companies such as SuSe and RH and god forbid Debian. Such Major Corps
> could sap the funds from these smaller companies via complex legal
> challange. Even if this didn't break them it would certainly remove any
> hope of funding further R&D and who would want to leap on board and get
> involved with them if they thought they may personally get sued.
>
> I think we need to get organised and do something about this ? I propose
> a meeting ASAP to discuss this situation.
>
> Thoughts Please
>
> Rick
>
> Paul Weaver wrote:
> >>>most software doesn't have the same sort of consequences when it fails.
> >>
> >>Hmm... tell that to a space shuttle commander ?
> >
> >I'd be more worried about air traffic control, or software controlling
> >ambulance routing.
> >
> >None of these things are off-the-shelf shrinkwrapped programs though, they
> > are the product of pure, horrible, headache inducing, pain staking
> > software engineering. Failure in these systems can not be tollerated, so
> > they cost much more. They are completly different problems, sort of like
> > building an aircraft carrier vs. mass producing a row boat.
> >
> >
> >
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