Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Stanislav Malyshev wrote on 2003-07-03: > BC>> Well, I see no reason why the person reviewing the software > BC>> patents shouldn't be an expert in programming (but not knowing > BC>> every existing program, of course). He should be required to be > BC>> an expert, else how can we entrust him to grant patents in this > BC>> field? > > OK. Then let's see - first of all, there is no such thing as "expert in > programming" - no more than "expert in medicine" - there are > specialisations. So either patent office should have a staff of an > university and more, or it should retain the services of external experts. > Which means patent application is going to cost _a real lot_ of money and > take a real lot of time to complete. Which is not exactly what the patents > are meant for. BTW, even with this scheme nobody really guarantees that > expert will do thorough work (after all, what means of control over him > does the office have?) or that he will not just be bribed by the patent > submitter. > Fair points. They apply to all kinds of patents, BTW. Anyway currently the US patent offices pass through some patents (especially but not only in software) that are ridiculous even to people with basic programming background. See http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/Patents/anatomy-trivial-patent.txt for an example. -- Beni Cherniavsky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "Reading the documentation I felt like a kid in a toy shop." -- Phil Thompson on Python's standard library = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
BC>> Well, I see no reason why the person reviewing the software BC>> patents shouldn't be an expert in programming (but not knowing BC>> every existing program, of course). He should be required to be BC>> an expert, else how can we entrust him to grant patents in this BC>> field? OK. Then let's see - first of all, there is no such thing as "expert in programming" - no more than "expert in medicine" - there are specialisations. So either patent office should have a staff of an university and more, or it should retain the services of external experts. Which means patent application is going to cost _a real lot_ of money and take a real lot of time to complete. Which is not exactly what the patents are meant for. BTW, even with this scheme nobody really guarantees that expert will do thorough work (after all, what means of control over him does the office have?) or that he will not just be bribed by the patent submitter. -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] \/ There shall be counsels taken Stanislav Malyshev /\ Stronger than Morgul-spells phone +972-50-624945/\ JRRT LotR. whois:!SM8333 = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Stanislav Malyshev wrote on 2003-07-03: > EM>> Maybe conflicts between patents and technology advances were caused > EM>> because of non-professional staff of the patent office? > > Asking that, let's ask what kind of "professionality" is required from > them? Should they be an experts in software knowing to the least detail > every part of every program existing, for example? What would be > requirements to professional patent office worker? Note that patent office > is not exclusively software - they should also work on other things too. > Well, I see no reason why the person reviewing the software patents shouldn't be an expert in programming (but not knowing every existing program, of course). He should be required to be an expert, else how can we entrust him to grant patents in this field? > EM>> Maybe a better computerization will help the patent office > EM>> reject patents that were "prior art"ed by open technologies? > > It is pretty hard to know this - for this, detailed analysis of the > functions of patented and potentially prior-art (meaning, just > almost every other in the field) applications required. I fear for a > patent office which is not really overbudgeted it is not actually > feasible. > Better computerization will most probably not solve the issue. It would help the staff, sure. But the staff should be competent and should have the correct guiding rules. And these should either exclude SW patents completely or be very demanding about them. There is no reason to expect better equipped staff whose task is to allow trivial patents to filter - but there is no reason to under-equip them instead of redefining their task. -- Beni Cherniavsky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "Reading the documentation I felt like a kid in a toy shop." -- Phil Thompson on Python's standard library = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
EM>> Regarding the first one, I divide between patents that STOP EM>> technological advances (like LZW) and patents that HELP EM>> technological advances (like RSA). I don't agree that EVERYTHING Hm. Only difference I see is that the owner of the RSA was less greedy than owner of the LZW, but that difference does not lie in the field of patents but of owners. EM>> Maybe conflicts between patents and technology advances were caused EM>> because of non-professional staff of the patent office? Asking that, let's ask what kind of "professionality" is required from them? Should they be an experts in software knowing to the least detail every part of every program existing, for example? What would be requirements to professional patent office worker? Note that patent office is not exclusively software - they should also work on other things too. EM>> Maybe a better computerization will help the patent office EM>> reject patents that were "prior art"ed by open technologies? It is pretty hard to know this - for this, detailed analysis of the functions of patented and potentially prior-art (meaning, just almost every other in the field) applications required. I fear for a patent office which is not really overbudgeted it is not actually feasible. -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] \/ There shall be counsels taken Stanislav Malyshev /\ Stronger than Morgul-spells phone +972-50-624945/\ JRRT LotR. whois:!SM8333 = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Gilad Ben-Yossef wrote: > All of this assumes that a better efficient patent office is a good > thing. I was trying to suggest tht IMHO, doe to how we see patent today > - as "property", as opposed to the original intent of the patent system, > making it more efficient is actually a bad thing. > > I guess my point was missed. It was, but this is not the issue. There are two claims that are required to be proved: 1. That everything in patents is bad. 2. That efficiency always causes a patent office to be "worse" even further. I don't agree with both claims. Regarding the first one, I divide between patents that STOP technological advances (like LZW) and patents that HELP technological advances (like RSA). I don't agree that EVERYTHING with patenting is bad. But even if the first claim was right, then you still have to prove the second claim. It's like the argument regarding the Palestinians, whether money helps them to bring more order and stop the terror, or to develop more advanced weapon. Maybe conflicts between patents and technology advances were caused because of non-professional staff of the patent office? Maybe better staff will prevent such conflicts? Maybe a better computerization will help the patent office reject patents that were "prior art"ed by open technologies? Many budgets are given in return to drops of activities or payments. For example, the special American support for the Israeli Government was given on condition that many expenses will be dropped, for example the progressive support for children (Kizbaot-yeladim), so this money not only that it didn't help the kizbaot-yeladim, it even hurt them; Maybe in this case too, this budget will cause the patent office to be "better" for us? We can't oppose something automaticall, just because of the name behind it. If you want to oppose this budget, you must check exactly where the money goes to. -- Eli Marmor [EMAIL PROTECTED] CTO, Founder Netmask (El-Mar) Internet Technologies Ltd. __ Tel.: +972-9-766-1020 8 Yad-Harutzim St. Fax.: +972-9-766-1314 P.O.B. 7004 Mobile: +972-50-23-7338 Kfar-Saba 44641, Israel = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Eli Marmor wrote: Gilad Ben-Yossef wrote: Eli Marmor wrote: This doesn't have anything to do with HaMakor. Currently, the Israeli patents office is very primitive, and not professional. There is almost no computerization. The procedures take MANY years to complete. Usually, instead of scanning or reviewing patents, the staff prefer to adopt decisions of other offices regarding the specific patent. This is "bizayon", and makes a bad name for the state of Israel. Fortunately, it is going to change. Finally. It's a good improvement for everybody. I'm sorry Eli, that I don't share your opptimism. The US patent office, to takr a not so rendom example, has been very very active. I don't think I like the results much and being the pessimist that I am I'm having a hard time believing that the Israeli PO will do any better. Gilad, Either my English is bad (it is), or you didn't read my message. The original poster wondered what was the meaning of a quotation that he brought from the newspaper. No matter what are the plans of the Israel patents office, the specific quotation referred to a critical budget for computerization of the patents office, and for hiring more professional staff. These steps have been planned for about 10 years, and were postponed again and again, because of the financial limitations of Israel. All of this assumes that a better efficient patent office is a good thing. I was trying to suggest tht IMHO, doe to how we see patent today - as "property", as opposed to the original intent of the patent system, making it more efficient is actually a bad thing. I guess my point was missed. Gilad. = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Gilad Ben-Yossef wrote: > > Eli Marmor wrote: > > > > > This doesn't have anything to do with HaMakor. > > > > Currently, the Israeli patents office is very primitive, and not > > professional. There is almost no computerization. The procedures take > > MANY years to complete. Usually, instead of scanning or reviewing > > patents, the staff prefer to adopt decisions of other offices regarding > > the specific patent. > > > > This is "bizayon", and makes a bad name for the state of Israel. > > > > Fortunately, it is going to change. Finally. > > It's a good improvement for everybody. > > I'm sorry Eli, that I don't share your opptimism. The US patent office, > to takr a not so rendom example, has been very very active. > > I don't think I like the results much and being the pessimist that I am > I'm having a hard time believing that the Israeli PO will do any better. Gilad, Either my English is bad (it is), or you didn't read my message. The original poster wondered what was the meaning of a quotation that he brought from the newspaper. No matter what are the plans of the Israel patents office, the specific quotation referred to a critical budget for computerization of the patents office, and for hiring more professional staff. These steps have been planned for about 10 years, and were postponed again and again, because of the financial limitations of Israel. Have I ever written anything about optimism, pessimism, the plans of the patents office, etc.? I just answered the original poster, regarding the specific quotation. I didn't see the article in Globes, but I know the plan to give this specific budget. And this specific budget really doesn't have anything to do with HaMakor. -- Eli Marmor [EMAIL PROTECTED] CTO, Founder Netmask (El-Mar) Internet Technologies Ltd. __ Tel.: +972-9-766-1020 8 Yad-Harutzim St. Fax.: +972-9-766-1314 P.O.B. 7004 Mobile: +972-50-23-7338 Kfar-Saba 44641, Israel = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Gilad Ben-Yossef wrote on 2003-07-03: > 2. The second thing is that our time and resources are limited. We are > ALL vulenteers. No one gets paid and that includes lawyer and > accountant. We do this with pleasure, but we also have to work and live. > Therefore the next thing is organise activities on your own. We will be > glad to help you in things like finanace, getting recipiets, printing > material, web storage etc. But you'll have to be the one to *organise* > the activity. > I don't currently have the time to organize any such activity but more importantly I don't have the expretise. I don't even have the slightest idea what kind of activity could help here. One thing I can think of that would be useful is putting information - at least links - about the legal IP situtuation in Israel on Hamakor's website. Carefully explained opnions of those issues would be even better than raw information, of course. But currently I feel there is not even enough raw information availiable - unless one looks very hard. Some monthes ago I tried to learn what's the situation on software patents in Israel, I searched the web for about a day I think and didn't find much. IANAL and it's problematic for me to even talk with somebody about these issues when I can't ground my claims since I don't even know the current laws and the threatening changes. Paradoxically (or not), I know much more about US laws than Israel's... -- Beni Cherniavsky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Beni Cherniavsky wrote: Guy Baruch wrote: Patents, on the other hand, can (and often do) directly affect SW, and especially _new_ SW (as opposed with ripped copies of *.exe or *.wav ) There is one more kind of IP crippling that affects software, even more than patents: DMCA's anti-circumvention clauses. I could reluctantly live with the need to pay royalities for running certain algorithms but I don't want to go to prison for even documenting them! What are the chances of such things getting into Israel? Unless people do something about it the chances are very high. The WTO has inserted an obligation to introduce DMCA-like provisions to local state law into several international treates that governs the subject of copyright in international context (WEPA and related treaties). Israel is (or plans to be) a side to these treaties. Moreover, as those who were present in the last annual ISOC-IL convention at the panel tprevious to the Open SOurce one heared, the top Israeli lawyers who deal with copyright issues push very hard for this legalization to happen. They see it as a good thing and generally do not understand or are aware of the issues involved. The people of HaMakor have (including btw, in that ISOC-Il panel) participated in discussions about these issues and generally tried to raise awareness to the whole matter and other related issues (like digital signatures and the dangers of misusing them, e-voting issues etc.) Quote frankly, this isn't enough. In fact, it's almost nothing. There are two reasons for this, and this is where the part of doing something gets in: 1. HaMakor curretnly counts something like 30 registered members and friends. That is a really low number. We have a very hard time convincing people that we represent anyone when only 30 people have bothered registering. So the first thing to do in join. 2. The second thing is that our time and resources are limited. We are ALL vulenteers. No one gets paid and that includes lawyer and accountant. We do this with pleasure, but we also have to work and live. Therefore the next thing is organise activities on your own. We will be glad to help you in things like finanace, getting recipiets, printing material, web storage etc. But you'll have to be the one to *organise* the activity. I relaise that 1 and 2 are connected - people do not want to join a body that they don't yet precieve as done enough for them, but this is very much a chicken and egg problem. So, the bottom line - put your money and time where your mouth is and MAYBE we'll be able to do something about it. Everyone we'll have a good oppertunity to register at August Penguin, if sending that 100 NIS was what stopping you. And no, this isn't personally directed to the authors of this message. thanks, Gilad. = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Eli Marmor wrote: This doesn't have anything to do with HaMakor. Currently, the Israeli patents office is very primitive, and not professional. There is almost no computerization. The procedures take MANY years to complete. Usually, instead of scanning or reviewing patents, the staff prefer to adopt decisions of other offices regarding the specific patent. This is "bizayon", and makes a bad name for the state of Israel. Fortunately, it is going to change. Finally. It's a good improvement for everybody. I'm sorry Eli, that I don't share your opptimism. The US patent office, to takr a not so rendom example, has been very very active. I don't think I like the results much and being the pessimist that I am I'm having a hard time believing that the Israeli PO will do any better. Gilad = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Guy Baruch wrote: Actually, although there is a reference to IP in general, from all the types of IP (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade-secrets, are those I'm aware of), only the first gets mentioned specificly. AFAIK, Patents are largely irrelevant to music-copying (a copyright issue), or to DMCA (again, mainly a copyright-aimed law) Patents, on the other hand, can (and often do) directly affect SW, and especially _new_ SW (as opposed with ripped copies of *.exe or *.wav ) So, any change w.r.t. patent-policy should interest HAMAKOR greatly. In fact, it should, IMHO, be very high on HAMAKOR's agenda. It is high on our Agenda. Very high, in fact and we are trying to find out at the moment what was the remark refering to, excacly. However, we're only a bunch of vulenteers. If you want something to be done about it - why don't you come forward and organise what needs to be done and we will gladly provide any help and "offical" status to back up the effort? BTW, I very much assume that the reason patents were mentioned was because the speakers has no idea what the difference between the various types of the so called Intelectual property are. Gilad. = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Guy Baruch wrote: > Patents, on the other hand, can (and often do) directly affect SW, > and especially _new_ SW (as opposed with ripped copies of *.exe or > *.wav ) > There is one more kind of IP crippling that affects software, even more than patents: DMCA's anti-circumvention clauses. I could reluctantly live with the need to pay royalities for running certain algorithms but I don't want to go to prison for even documenting them! What are the chances of such things getting into Israel? -- Beni Cherniavsky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote on 2003-07-03: > One of the big problems is that Israel's newest copyright law makes it > illegal to SELL copyrighted software that you don't have the rights > to sell, e.g. "bootleg", but does not make it illegal to BUY it. > > While this protects the person who buys a bootleg copy in a box that looks > like a legal copy, it also protects the person who buys a copy at the > Tel Aviv bus station. > So what do you propose? It's not always easy to know whether your copy is bootleg when it does come in a box. It doesn't sound fair to blame the first person. But how would you distinguish him from the second person in a law? > On the other hand, it still is illegal to buy one copy and propigate it > throughout your network if it comes with a single user license. (or to > use a five user license 20 times). > What do you want to say here? Is good/bad? > One of the nice things about Windows XP and Office XP, is the first time > you use them they register with a server at Microsoft. When a single user > key starts showing up multiple times, a real person gets notified. > Wouldn't it also complain when you replace your hard disk and install and register it again? While we are talking about licenses, what's the legal status of shrink-wrap EULAs in Israel? Are there legal restrictions on what kinds of restrictions can EULAs contain? -- Beni Cherniavsky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "Reading the documentation I felt like a kid in a toy shop." -- Phil Thompson on Python's standard library = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Guy Baruch wrote: > Patents, on the other hand, can (and often do) directly affect SW, and > especially > _new_ SW (as opposed with ripped copies of *.exe or *.wav ) One of the big problems is that Israel's newest copyright law makes it illegal to SELL copyrighted software that you don't have the rights to sell, e.g. "bootleg", but does not make it illegal to BUY it. While this protects the person who buys a bootleg copy in a box that looks like a legal copy, it also protects the person who buys a copy at the Tel Aviv bus station. On the other hand, it still is illegal to buy one copy and propigate it throughout your network if it comes with a single user license. (or to use a five user license 20 times). One of the nice things about Windows XP and Office XP, is the first time you use them they register with a server at Microsoft. When a single user key starts showing up multiple times, a real person gets notified. Geoff. -- Geoffrey S. Mendelson [EMAIL PROTECTED] 972-54-608-069 Do sysadmins count networked sheep? = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Eran Tromer wrote: > > "Improvement in protection of patents. Completion and application >during 2004. Improvement of Israel's status in regard to money >laundering and protection of intellectual property." > > Whatever it means, it should be followed very closely. Experience has > shown that such laws are often kept from public scrutiny until it's too > late. Please share any information you encounter on this matter. > > Also, I'll take this opportunity to urge people to join Hamakor. > Hamakor is probably best equipped to represent certain aspects of the > public interest in this matter, and wide membership will strenghten > their position. This doesn't have anything to do with HaMakor. Currently, the Israeli patents office is very primitive, and not professional. There is almost no computerization. The procedures take MANY years to complete. Usually, instead of scanning or reviewing patents, the staff prefer to adopt decisions of other offices regarding the specific patent. This is "bizayon", and makes a bad name for the state of Israel. Fortunately, it is going to change. Finally. It's a good improvement for everybody. -- Eli Marmor [EMAIL PROTECTED] CTO, Founder Netmask (El-Mar) Internet Technologies Ltd. __ Tel.: +972-9-766-1020 8 Yad-Harutzim St. Fax.: +972-9-766-1314 P.O.B. 7004 Mobile: +972-50-23-7338 Kfar-Saba 44641, Israel = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Patents or copyright ? [was Re: Israeli DMCA looming?]
Actually, although there is a reference to IP in general, from all the types of IP (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade-secrets, are those I'm aware of), only the first gets mentioned specificly. AFAIK, Patents are largely irrelevant to music-copying (a copyright issue), or to DMCA (again, mainly a copyright-aimed law) Patents, on the other hand, can (and often do) directly affect SW, and especially _new_ SW (as opposed with ripped copies of *.exe or *.wav ) So, any change w.r.t. patent-policy should interest HAMAKOR greatly. In fact, it should, IMHO, be very high on HAMAKOR's agenda. Herouth Maoz wrote: Quoting Eran Tromer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: "Improvement in protection of patents. Completion and application during 2004. Improvement of Israel's status in regard to money laundering and protection of intellectual property." I'm pretty sure the intention of the above paragraph is to solve the problem of music piracy which is very serious in Israel. I'm not talking about "file sharers" but about all those counterfeit CD factories and counterfeit cds being available in broad daylight in respectable shopping malls. -- -- regards +--- + Guy Baruch , Plasma Laboratory, Weizmann Institue. + http://plasma-gate.weizmann.ac.il/~guybar +--- = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
On 2003/07/02 16:42, Herouth Maoz wrote: > Quoting Eran Tromer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >> "Improvement in protection of patents. Completion and application >> during 2004. Improvement of Israel's status in regard to money >> laundering and protection of intellectual property." > I'm pretty sure the intention of the above paragraph is to solve the problem of > music piracy which is very serious in Israel. I'm not talking about "file > sharers" but about all those counterfeit CD factories and counterfeit cds being > available in broad daylight in respectable shopping malls. Yes, CD factory busting is relevant to neither Hamakor nor this list (or is it? http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3510183). But having observed certain patterns and interests, I am wary about revisions to IP laws. I thus called for alertness, not action. Eran = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Israeli DMCA looming?
Quoting Eran Tromer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > "Improvement in protection of patents. Completion and application >during 2004. Improvement of Israel's status in regard to money >laundering and protection of intellectual property." > .. > Also, I'll take this opportunity to urge people to join Hamakor. > Hamakor is probably best equipped to represent certain aspects of the > public interest in this matter, and wide membership will strenghten > their position. I'm pretty sure the intention of the above paragraph is to solve the problem of music piracy which is very serious in Israel. I'm not talking about "file sharers" but about all those counterfeit CD factories and counterfeit cds being available in broad daylight in respectable shopping malls. I'm not sure Hamakor will even be considered as a side in this issue, even though they may come up with a DMCA-style law that will affect both pirates, people who play legal music off their iPods (heh), and people who try to build a bloody driver for a new model of DVD player. If you come to the relevant committee now as a representative of free software, they'll just scrape their heads and not understand what you have to do with the issue. Herouth = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Israeli DMCA looming?
Hi, On June 30th, Globes Ha'erev (page 4) lists "goals and deadlines" which were set by the PM to the various government ministries. The following is one of the goals set for the Ministry of Justice: "Improvement in protection of patents. Completion and application during 2004. Improvement of Israel's status in regard to money laundering and protection of intellectual property." Whatever it means, it should be followed very closely. Experience has shown that such laws are often kept from public scrutiny until it's too late. Please share any information you encounter on this matter. Also, I'll take this opportunity to urge people to join Hamakor. Hamakor is probably best equipped to represent certain aspects of the public interest in this matter, and wide membership will strenghten their position. Regards, Eran = To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
