[Fsfe-uk] Software patent tactics

[MJ Ray]

My blood has just been boiling while reading
http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=52002PC0092
especially the directive proposed that appears to have huge gaps in it
which will open the flood gates.

One thing while reading it: when approaching MEPs about software
patenting, please make it clear that you are representing your business,
if you can.  I think we have often made the mistake of responding
to this problem as individuals rather than "participants in the EU
internal market."  I suspect supporters of patenting have been using
that to diminish our effect on our elected representatives.

If you are a SME, please remember the DTI's own comment about SMEs: "In
all regions SMEs (0 to 249 employees) make up over 99% of the business
population." (from "Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Statistics
for the Regions, 2001")

We must not let the 1% govern the 99%...

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MJR   http://mjr.towers.org.uk/   IM: address@hidden
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