Searching for CEOs against software patents"
Jonas Norrman
Åter från en trevlig semester laeser jag gamla mail och har då stött
på detta viktiga meddelande. Jag tycker du skall skicka det - inte
bara till företagare- utan också till de viktigaste datatidskrifterna
inom EU. Kontakta dessutom era finska EU-politiker, så att de kan
agera på önskvaert saett.
Haelsningar,
Jonas
jo...@mysql.com
>>>>> "Michael" == Michael Widenius <mo...@mysql.com> writes:
Michael> Note that this is not a SPAM! My opinion is just that this
Michael> is such a serious issue that everyone should know about it!
Michael> Software patents are a serious threat to Open software
Michael> development
Michael> Keep Europe free from software patents! Support the
Michael> Eurolinux alliance initiative!
Michael> In November 2000, EU governments will debate whether to apply
Michael> software patents or not in Europe. Several big players with
Michael> software patents and proprietary interest are lobbying to get
Michael> software patents legally approved in the EU and they have got
Michael> some of the IP Lawmakers behind them.
Michael> As Jean-Paul Smets from eurolinux puts it: "IP Lawmakers do
Michael> not understand the "free software" model. They hate it
Michael> because it contradicts their ideology. So, they would rather
Michael> be happy if Linux disappeared.... And most people in
Michael> administrations tend to believe IP Lawmakers. It's a shame
Michael> but it's like that"
Michael> Software patents will turn development of Open source
Michael> software into a minefield, where the risk of being sued will
Michael> kill and hamper initiatives. Patent offices seldom understand
Michael> the nature of programming and can be expected to give patents
Michael> without fully understanding the consequences. Closed source
Michael> development will be the only safe way to avoid infringing on
Michael> software patents. The Linux itself as an open source
Michael> alternative to proprietary operative systems may well be
Michael> threatened, which no doubt would please several economically
Michael> strong interests.
Michael> Software patents will not only affect Open Source, it will
Michael> affect all software development. For example if you have a
Michael> web site where part of the data is stored in a database or if
Michael> you are sorting data to speed up searches, you may be
Michael> breaking a patent! The problem with software patents is that
Michael> there are so many patented techniques that the software you
Michael> developed actually contains statistically 10s if not 100s of
Michael> patent infringements, and anyone of these can be used to put
Michael> you out of business!
Michael> MySQL AB / TcX is strongly against software patents. We
Michael> believe that copyright is the right way to secure software
Michael> investments. We therefore engage in the Eurolinux Alliance
Michael> project to get 200 CEOs of big European companies to sign a
Michael> petition, telling the EU governments that software patents
Michael> would be harmful to their business.
Michael> If Your are a CEO of a suitable company, or have the means to
Michael> get Your CEO to sympathise with the work against software
Michael> patents in Europe, please mail or call me (+358-9-3861825,
Michael> 10.00 - 22.00 GMT +0)
Michael> Instead of contacting me, you can of course also try to
Michael> contact your EU representative to discuss this!
Michael> You can find lots of information on software patents at:
Michael> http://petition.eurolinux.org/reference/ Please forward this
Michael> adress to anybody You think may contribute to the struggle
Michael> against software patents.
Michael> Act TODAY or find Yourself in a cage tomorrow!
Michael> Michael "Monty" Widenius Moderator CTO of MySQL AB
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