On Mon, Jun 06, 2005 at 11:47:50AM +0200, David Weinehall wrote: > On Mon, Jun 06, 2005 at 02:21:46AM -0700, Stephen Birch wrote: > > Florian Weimer([EMAIL PROTECTED])@2005-06-06 09:32: > > > * Stephen Birch: > > > > > > > Wow!!!! Nokia just became my new favourite company. > > > > > > To put things into perspective, Nokia is one of the companies lobbying > > > for unlimited software patents in Europe. > > > > Oops. I don't like to appear fickle but I guess they just went from > > top company to bottom in my mind. Sigh ... I would have liked one of > > those tablet computer. > > So, I take it you don't buy any products from Apple, IBM, Sony, > etc either? > > There's a distinct difference between corporate policy and the project > internal policy of the Nokia/OSSO team who have developed the N770. > > > Software patents are an absolute menace in the USA it would be crazy > > for Europe to also start issuing them. > > Well, the European Parliament is (or has at least been) strongly opposed > to software patents, so it's unlikely that they will pass without some > serious trickery.
FFmpeg threatened by software patents: http://ffmpeg.org/ specifically: The European commission has just passed its directive on software patents, violating democratic rules and procedures to the sole benefit of big non-European corporation and Ireland and to the detriment of small and medium sized businesses (which comprise 99% of the European software industry) and free software. The European parliament will now be taking the last stand against software patents in a voting for which an absolute majority is needed. Such a majority is hard to come by in a parliament with a low attendance level. Doesn't look good :-( -- Chris. ====== -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
