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Good point I can only write to MPS if I actually understand what to write about, if you can make it to paignton then thats at least one topic we can discuss. I will find out over the weekend as the cricket / rugby club is open then, or at least by tuesday when I know it is definatly open, paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Timmis" <rick@xxxxxxxx> To: <list@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 11:35 PM Subject: Re: [LUG] Open Source and EU patent law > Damn I wish I could have wrote that! > > This is why I believe we must meet to discuss this. Please anywhere will > do lets make a start!!! > > Thanks Rick > > Keith Abraham wrote: > > >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. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>-- > >>>The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG > >>>Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the > >>>message body to unsubscribe. > >>> > >>> > >>-- > >>The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG > >>Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the > >>message body to unsubscribe. > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > -- > The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG > Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the > message body to unsubscribe. > -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe.