Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-05 Thread Margot
John Richard Smith wrote:
Carroll Grigsby wrote:

On Saturday 04 October 2003 08:33 am, John Richard Smith wrote:

 

whack
  


 

Incidentally, I just know at some stage we are going to have the
arguement for patenting code thrown at us because they will say the
Americans allow it.  Is that really true, or is that just throwing sand
in the works ?
  


John:
Several years ago, the esteemed United States Patent Office issued a 
patent to a 7 year old for swinging side-to-side on a child's swing 
(as opposed to the normal back-and-forth mode). When I told Will about 
it (Will is my 3 year old grandson), he wanted to file two separate 
patents: Swinging cattywampus, and swinging in circles. Both 
applications would include (1) standard flat board on two rope swings, 
(2) sling from two rope swings, and (3) tire from a single rope swings.

-- cmg

 

A truely crazy state of affairs. If this is the current state of affairs 
in regard to the patent law industry then it would seem the problem is 
more than an EU law making affair and some kind of international 
decision making forum needs to be got to work on it to straighten out 
the purpose of patenting at all.

John

Call for Kofi!

Mine's a large espresso ;-)

Margot


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-05 Thread John Richard Smith
Carroll Grigsby wrote:

On Saturday 04 October 2003 08:33 am, John Richard Smith wrote:

 

whack
   

 

Incidentally, I just know at some stage we are going to have the
arguement for patenting code thrown at us because they will say the
Americans allow it.  Is that really true, or is that just throwing sand
in the works ?
   

John:
Several years ago, the esteemed United States Patent Office issued a patent to 
a 7 year old for swinging side-to-side on a child's swing (as opposed to the 
normal back-and-forth mode). When I told Will about it (Will is my 3 year old 
grandson), he wanted to file two separate patents: Swinging cattywampus, and 
swinging in circles. Both applications would include (1) standard flat board 
on two rope swings, (2) sling from two rope swings, and (3) tire from a 
single rope swings.

-- cmg

 

A truely crazy state of affairs. If this is the current state of affairs 
in regard to the patent law industry then it would seem the problem is 
more than an EU law making affair and some kind of international 
decision making forum needs to be got to work on it to straighten out 
the purpose of patenting at all.

John

--
John Richard Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 



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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Aron Smith
On Sat, 2003-10-04 at 17:41, Carroll Grigsby wrote:
> On Saturday 04 October 2003 08:33 am, John Richard Smith wrote:
> 
> >>> whack
> 
> > Incidentally, I just know at some stage we are going to have the
> > arguement for patenting code thrown at us because they will say the
> > Americans allow it.  Is that really true, or is that just throwing sand
> > in the works ?
> 
> John:
> Several years ago, the esteemed United States Patent Office issued a patent to 
> a 7 year old for swinging side-to-side on a child's swing (as opposed to the 
> normal back-and-forth mode). When I told Will about it (Will is my 3 year old 
> grandson), he wanted to file two separate patents: Swinging cattywampus, and 
> swinging in circles. Both applications would include (1) standard flat board 
> on two rope swings, (2) sling from two rope swings, and (3) tire from a 
> single rope swings.
> 
> -- cmg
> Basically a patent is just a license to sue, unfortunately the bastards have
>  both the money AND the Lawyers.
> 
> 
> __
> Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? 
> Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Carroll Grigsby
On Saturday 04 October 2003 08:33 am, John Richard Smith wrote:

>>> whack

> Incidentally, I just know at some stage we are going to have the
> arguement for patenting code thrown at us because they will say the
> Americans allow it.  Is that really true, or is that just throwing sand
> in the works ?

John:
Several years ago, the esteemed United States Patent Office issued a patent to 
a 7 year old for swinging side-to-side on a child's swing (as opposed to the 
normal back-and-forth mode). When I told Will about it (Will is my 3 year old 
grandson), he wanted to file two separate patents: Swinging cattywampus, and 
swinging in circles. Both applications would include (1) standard flat board 
on two rope swings, (2) sling from two rope swings, and (3) tire from a 
single rope swings.

-- cmg


Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? 
Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com


Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Aron Smith
On Sat, 2003-10-04 at 09:55, ed tharp wrote:
> On Sat, 2003-10-04 at 08:33, John Richard Smith wrote:
> snipped all sorts of content, but you won't miss it 
> > I'm concerned that at some stage we will encounter technobabble answers 
> > we don't know how to question and counter. It's not the MEP's one has to 
> > be concerned about, they know nothing , and are even more ignorant of 
> > these things than the average list member. It's after the MEP's start 
> > challenging the highly paid technical experts . These fellows will be 
> > paid by the industries and vested interest groups who seek this 
> > legislation . They are well paid full time patent/software types who 
> > know how to argue their case for themselves to an extent that will pull 
> > wool over legislators eyes, and I'm just aware that as they present 
> > their case they will have to be countered with just as strong counter 
> > arguements .
> It does not matter, once the MEPs catch on that this is something a
> simple person who is paying attention, but may not spell like an master
> of Modern English Literature, or format documents like an attorney
> (kinda like the average person driving) they will either begin to show
> interest, or (more likely, imo) try to figure out how they can make
> money on this too, and if they are only interested in how _they_ profit,
> there might not be any point. other than to learn who those pols are and
> not vote for them again.
***Thats how we got the digital millennium copy right act in this
country***
>  
> 
> 
> 
> >  Still at least the politicions in Europe will know that 
> > there are concerned people out there, voters, who need to be persuaded 
> > of change, so at least that much helps, but at the end of the day you 
> > need good technical based counter arguements to persuade the legislators 
> > to rewrite their law.
*** But will they care?
> or good legal based, or profit based. if they need tech answers, be
> honest, and say "that is not _my_ area of expertise, but I can get
> someone who is a true expert in that area who will answer your
> questions, as well as can be".
> 
> How could your MEP begin to know if he was being bullshitted anyway, he
> does not know the 'right' answers if it is that technical anyway? 
*** Actualy They know when they are being bullshitted they just don't
care**
> 
> 
> > Incidentally, I just know at some stage we are going to have the 
> > arguement for patenting code thrown at us because they will say the 
> > Americans allow it.  Is that really true, or is that just throwing sand 
> > in the works ? *** Yes it is true tho copyrights are a bigger problem**
> I suggest you offer that 'just because the Americans do it' is a poor
> reason for anything, and leave that at that.
> 
> 
> > Also, The whole point about patenting code is that it prevents anyone 
> > else from creating their own version, whereas if I have understood this 
> > correctly, while someone may own copywrite of their piece of computer 
> > code , there is nothing to stop anyone else from writing their own 
> > independently produced version of that code. So by way of example , 
> > Robert Louis Stevenson may of written Treasure Island  but there is 
> > nothing to prevent another Author from writing another Book called 
> > Treasure Island with a similar story , provided it is writen as a fresh 
> > novel and in his own words, and not just a carbon copy of Stevenson version.
> not quite. 
> there is nothing to prevent someone else writing a book about buried
> treasure, islands, and a peg leg ship capt. 
> so there should not be a patent on writing a bit of code to send out a
> fax from a PS document just not everyone can call it 'hylafax'. but it
> would be wrong to not allow any one else to have the right to use the
> idea of a blinking text in a web page, while it is fine to prevent the
> blinking text from being the text of 'RLS's Treasure Island' (Treasure
> island may not be the best example as I believe it is in the public
> domain, therefor not copyright protected any longer).

> *** Under the old copyright law Mickey Mouse would be in the Public Domain
However Disney Corp. Has lots of money them and Sony got the law
changed**
> 
> Can't hurt. 
> If anyone in the EU has a lug in their area, amybe copying a few links
> from this thread and forwarding them around might be a nice idea too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? 
> Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread ed tharp
On Sat, 2003-10-04 at 08:33, John Richard Smith wrote:
snipped all sorts of content, but you won't miss it 
> I'm concerned that at some stage we will encounter technobabble answers 
> we don't know how to question and counter. It's not the MEP's one has to 
> be concerned about, they know nothing , and are even more ignorant of 
> these things than the average list member. It's after the MEP's start 
> challenging the highly paid technical experts . These fellows will be 
> paid by the industries and vested interest groups who seek this 
> legislation . They are well paid full time patent/software types who 
> know how to argue their case for themselves to an extent that will pull 
> wool over legislators eyes, and I'm just aware that as they present 
> their case they will have to be countered with just as strong counter 
> arguements .
It does not matter, once the MEPs catch on that this is something a
simple person who is paying attention, but may not spell like an master
of Modern English Literature, or format documents like an attorney
(kinda like the average person driving) they will either begin to show
interest, or (more likely, imo) try to figure out how they can make
money on this too, and if they are only interested in how _they_ profit,
there might not be any point. other than to learn who those pols are and
not vote for them again. 



>  Still at least the politicions in Europe will know that 
> there are concerned people out there, voters, who need to be persuaded 
> of change, so at least that much helps, but at the end of the day you 
> need good technical based counter arguements to persuade the legislators 
> to rewrite their law.
or good legal based, or profit based. if they need tech answers, be
honest, and say "that is not _my_ area of expertise, but I can get
someone who is a true expert in that area who will answer your
questions, as well as can be".

How could your MEP begin to know if he was being bullshitted anyway, he
does not know the 'right' answers if it is that technical anyway? 


> Incidentally, I just know at some stage we are going to have the 
> arguement for patenting code thrown at us because they will say the 
> Americans allow it.  Is that really true, or is that just throwing sand 
> in the works ?
I suggest you offer that 'just because the Americans do it' is a poor
reason for anything, and leave that at that.


> Also, The whole point about patenting code is that it prevents anyone 
> else from creating their own version, whereas if I have understood this 
> correctly, while someone may own copywrite of their piece of computer 
> code , there is nothing to stop anyone else from writing their own 
> independently produced version of that code. So by way of example , 
> Robert Louis Stevenson may of written Treasure Island  but there is 
> nothing to prevent another Author from writing another Book called 
> Treasure Island with a similar story , provided it is writen as a fresh 
> novel and in his own words, and not just a carbon copy of Stevenson version.
not quite. 
there is nothing to prevent someone else writing a book about buried
treasure, islands, and a peg leg ship capt. 
so there should not be a patent on writing a bit of code to send out a
fax from a PS document just not everyone can call it 'hylafax'. but it
would be wrong to not allow any one else to have the right to use the
idea of a blinking text in a web page, while it is fine to prevent the
blinking text from being the text of 'RLS's Treasure Island' (Treasure
island may not be the best example as I believe it is in the public
domain, therefor not copyright protected any longer).

Can't hurt. 
If anyone in the EU has a lug in their area, amybe copying a few links
from this thread and forwarding them around might be a nice idea too.



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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread ed tharp
On Sat, 2003-10-04 at 07:30, HaywireMac wrote:
> On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 12:20:27 +0100
> Margot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> uttered:
> 
> > stereotypical unwashed geeks
> 
> Hey, I just took a shower the other day...

that was March 12. 1998

-- 
++
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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Lee Wiggers
On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 16:54:26 +0100
Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> On Saturday 04 Oct 2003 4:45 pm, Lee Wiggers wrote:
> > On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 15:43:43 +0100
> >
> > Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > On Saturday 04 Oct 2003 3:31 pm, Dick Gevers wrote:
> > > > Hello Anne and others,
> > > >
> > > > On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:45:25 +0100, Anne Wilson
> > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote about Re: [newbie] [Fwd:
> > > > Patenting of Software Code]:
> > > >
> > > > 
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > Holland has 30 europarliamentarians, but unfortunately only
> > > > 19 show e-mail addresses on their introductory pages as
> > > > listed by the EU. I wrote all of these, with a short
> > > > introduction in Dutch and - I hope you can forgive me for
> > > > this - quoted verbatim your letter in English (duly
> > > > attributed to you).
> > > >
> > > > Apparently the other 11 MEP`s are not interested in being
> > > > contacted by their constituentsgo figure.
> > > >
> > > > Best regards,
> > > > =Dick Gevers=
> > >
> > > At least it's 19 more people who may be slightly more aware!
> > >
> > > Anne
> > > --
> > > Registered Linux User No.293302
> > > Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?
> >
> > I recently emailed all of my State legislators and immediately
> > got 90% automated replies and have been trashing spam from most
> > of them since.
> >
> > Oh yeah,  I got 1 real reply two weeks later.
> >
> > Lee
> 
> It doesn't matter too much whether they respond or not.  If they
> wake up from their snores and think 'Isn't this what that pesky
> woman was on about' I might still have achieved something.
> 
> Anne
> -- 
> Registered Linux User No.293302
> Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?
> 
> 
> 
True.You may start a landslide.

-- 
User #223705 Linux Counter, http://counter.li.org

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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Anne Wilson
On Saturday 04 Oct 2003 4:45 pm, Lee Wiggers wrote:
> On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 15:43:43 +0100
>
> Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > On Saturday 04 Oct 2003 3:31 pm, Dick Gevers wrote:
> > > Hello Anne and others,
> > >
> > > On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:45:25 +0100, Anne Wilson
> > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote about Re: [newbie] [Fwd:
> > > Patenting of Software Code]:
> > >
> > > 
> > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Holland has 30 europarliamentarians, but unfortunately only 19
> > > show e-mail addresses on their introductory pages as listed by
> > > the EU. I wrote all of these, with a short introduction in
> > > Dutch and - I hope you can forgive me for this - quoted
> > > verbatim your letter in English (duly attributed to you).
> > >
> > > Apparently the other 11 MEP`s are not interested in being
> > > contacted by their constituentsgo figure.
> > >
> > > Best regards,
> > > =Dick Gevers=
> >
> > At least it's 19 more people who may be slightly more aware!
> >
> > Anne
> > --
> > Registered Linux User No.293302
> > Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?
>
> I recently emailed all of my State legislators and immediately got
> 90% automated replies and have been trashing spam from most of them
> since.
>
> Oh yeah,  I got 1 real reply two weeks later.
>
> Lee

It doesn't matter too much whether they respond or not.  If they wake 
up from their snores and think 'Isn't this what that pesky woman was 
on about' I might still have achieved something.

Anne
-- 
Registered Linux User No.293302
Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Lee Wiggers
On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 15:43:43 +0100
Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> On Saturday 04 Oct 2003 3:31 pm, Dick Gevers wrote:
> > Hello Anne and others,
> >
> > On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:45:25 +0100, Anne Wilson
> > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote about Re: [newbie] [Fwd:
> > Patenting of Software Code]:
> >
> > 
> >
> > >
> >
> > Holland has 30 europarliamentarians, but unfortunately only 19
> > show e-mail addresses on their introductory pages as listed by
> > the EU. I wrote all of these, with a short introduction in Dutch
> > and - I hope you can forgive me for this - quoted verbatim your
> > letter in English (duly attributed to you).
> >
> > Apparently the other 11 MEP`s are not interested in being
> > contacted by their constituentsgo figure.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > =Dick Gevers=
> >
> At least it's 19 more people who may be slightly more aware!
> 
> Anne
> -- 
> Registered Linux User No.293302
> Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?
> 
> 
> 

I recently emailed all of my State legislators and immediately got
90% automated replies and have been trashing spam from most of them
since.

Oh yeah,  I got 1 real reply two weeks later.

Lee
-- 
User #223705 Linux Counter, http://counter.li.org

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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Anne Wilson
On Saturday 04 Oct 2003 3:31 pm, Dick Gevers wrote:
> Hello Anne and others,
>
> On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:45:25 +0100, Anne Wilson
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote about Re: [newbie] [Fwd:
> Patenting of Software Code]:
>
> 
>
> >
>
> Holland has 30 europarliamentarians, but unfortunately only 19 show
> e-mail addresses on their introductory pages as listed by the EU. I
> wrote all of these, with a short introduction in Dutch and - I hope
> you can forgive me for this - quoted verbatim your letter in
> English (duly attributed to you).
>
> Apparently the other 11 MEP`s are not interested in being contacted
> by their constituentsgo figure.
>
> Best regards,
> =Dick Gevers=
>
At least it's 19 more people who may be slightly more aware!

Anne
-- 
Registered Linux User No.293302
Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?


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Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com


Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Dick Gevers
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

Hello Anne and others,

On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:45:25 +0100, Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote about Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]:


>

Holland has 30 europarliamentarians, but unfortunately only 19 show e-mail
addresses on their introductory pages as listed by the EU. I wrote all of
these, with a short introduction in Dutch and - I hope you can forgive me
for this - quoted verbatim your letter in English (duly attributed to you).

Apparently the other 11 MEP`s are not interested in being contacted by their
constituentsgo figure.

Best regards,
=Dick Gevers=

.>

Mandrake visibility? See headers

<.
-BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-
Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Encryption is an envelope - the contents are private.

iD8DBQE/ftnGwC/zk+cxEdMRAqPSAKDZ4bzsUHisb8OBssHdlAVedxg/wQCg0RIW
B8fPSrsbmwdP2+5BL9rUKZ0=
=dhYR
-END PGP SIGNATURE-

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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread Margot
HaywireMac wrote:
On Sat, 04 Oct 2003 12:20:27 +0100
Margot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> uttered:

stereotypical unwashed geeks


Hey, I just took a shower the other day...


Thank you for sharing that with us. Have you informed the European 
Parliament?


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-04 Thread HaywireMac
On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 19:53:37 -0400
Carroll Grigsby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> uttered:

> At long last.

I gave that one away for free. I thought Stephen would take it, but I
guess you beat him to it... ;-)

-- 
HaywireMac
Registered Linux user #282046
Homepage: www.orderinchaos.org
++
Mandrake HowTo's & More: http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org
++
If a guru falls in the forest with no one to hear him, was he really a
guru at all?
-- Strange de Jim, "The Metasexuals"

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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread ed tharp
On Fri, 2003-10-03 at 16:46, John Richard Smith wrote:
> Margot wrote:
> 
> > John Richard Smith wrote:
> >
> >> I forward to this list , for members perusal, a copy of an email I 
> >> have just sent to all my local East Midlands UK MEP's (Member of the 
> >> European Parliament) concering the patenting of software code. I will 
> >> let you know what if any reply I get.
> >>
> >> John
> >>
> >
> >
> > Well done John - so you've done UK East Midlands, I've done UK South 
> > East - anyone here from other UK regions, or other EU countries?
> >
> > Margot 
> 
> Yep, I've started the ball rolling , but quite honestly I'm going to 
> find it difficult to argue the technical aspects of the arguement. We 
> will need help in that regard. please note.
> 
> John
I do not believe it is the tech aspects your Government is the least bit
concerned with, as long as the common man is not aware, then they are
not aware, when the common spoken person speaks up, then they become
more attuned to what is being said. especially in an area with so many
paid experts of differing opinions/factoids. not every letter that gets
counted is in perfect form. just my $.02USD worth  


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++
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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread Carroll Grigsby
On Friday 03 October 2003 03:59 pm, HaywireMac wrote:

> I'm speechless.

At long last.
-- cmg


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread John Richard Smith
Margot wrote:

John Richard Smith wrote:

I forward to this list , for members perusal, a copy of an email I 
have just sent to all my local East Midlands UK MEP's (Member of the 
European Parliament) concering the patenting of software code. I will 
let you know what if any reply I get.

John



Well done John - so you've done UK East Midlands, I've done UK South 
East - anyone here from other UK regions, or other EU countries?

Margot 
Yep, I've started the ball rolling , but quite honestly I'm going to 
find it difficult to argue the technical aspects of the arguement. We 
will need help in that regard. please note.

John

--
John Richard Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 



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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread Anne Wilson
On Friday 03 Oct 2003 8:06 pm, HaywireMac wrote:
> On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:05:42 +0100
>
> Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> uttered:
> > I'll tackle them.
>
> Now *that* I would pay a *lot of money* to see!

Wouldn't charge a penny 

Anne
-- 
Registered Linux User No.293302
Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?


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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread Anne Wilson
On Friday 03 Oct 2003 7:55 pm, Margot wrote:
>
> Well done John - so you've done UK East Midlands, I've done UK
> South East - anyone here from other UK regions, or other EU
> countries?
>
> Margot
>
OK - I decided to go for all 7 of them   This is what I have said:


It is with mounting alarm that I have read of the proposals to 
implement Software Patents.  I would ask you to consider the 
following:

Software is written by individuals and groups of individuals.  As 
authors they normally have and retain copyright (except, I presume, 
where they are working for a company who would then own the 
copyright).  Existing laws are adequate to protect their copyright.

Patent law was, I understand, intended to protect inventors, requiring 
that the object to be patented was an original idea.  It is common 
knowledge that 'prior art' generally precludes such a patent being 
granted.  It is difficult to see how writing computer code can be 
classed as an original idea.  Logically, if software were to be 
patentable, then so could a book.

It is also a consideration that patents are expensive, create a great 
deal of administrative work, and are granted slowly and for a lengthy 
time period, while the life cycle of software is short.  This would 
stifle creative work.

The passing of software patent legislation would naturally benefit big 
business and penalise the small and medium-size enterprise, as there 
is no possibility of his competing in a legal argument.

The ability of any enterprise to patent a method of presentation, a 
method of training, or a 'look' of software is not in the interest of 
the consumer.

Certain large businesses in the field of operating systems desire to 
outlaw reverse engineering of their software.  However, without this 
practice it is impossible for third party software and hardware 
drivers to be written without the co-operation of the originators.  
Like many others, I have suffered from finding that drivers for my 
hardware was unavailable, since the manufacturer of the hardware did 
not wish to co-operate with writers of my chosen operating system.

It would appear that the proposals for EU legislation would have grave 
implications for the General Public License.  It is a matter of grave 
concern that individuals would be denied the right to decide the 
conditions under which their work is released.  The GPL gives clear 
rights and responsibilities to users of the software concerned.  The 
original author owns copyright, but this is essentially a model of 
co-operative working.  If yoiu are unfamiliar with the GPL, may I 
refer you to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html ?

I ask your help in protecting our rights, as citizens of the European 
Union, to own our own work without hindrance, and to make our own 
decisions about the future of our work.  Please protect us from the 
vested interests that seek to take away our rights.

Anne Wilson


I hope that Caroline will forgive the plagiarism in the fourth 
paragraph   For others that intend writing, I would just suggest 
that it is a good idea to append your address, or at least postcode, 
so that it is clear that you are from their constituency.

Anne
-- 
Registered Linux User No.293302
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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread HaywireMac
On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 20:05:42 +0100
Anne Wilson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> uttered:

> I'll tackle them.

Now *that* I would pay a *lot of money* to see!

-- 
HaywireMac
Registered Linux user #282046
Homepage: www.orderinchaos.org
++
Mandrake HowTo's & More: http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org
++
Death is God's way of telling you not to be such a wise guy.

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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread Anne Wilson
On Friday 03 Oct 2003 7:55 pm, Margot wrote:
>
> Well done John - so you've done UK East Midlands, I've done UK
> South East - anyone here from other UK regions, or other EU
> countries?
>
> Margot
>
Hmmm.  Yorkshire and Humberside.  I see there are 7 in our area.  
There's probably not much point in writing to the one dealing with 
'Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism', but all the others have 
interests in either Human Rights, Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, 
Justice and Home Affairs, Consumer Policy, Legal Affairs and the 
Internal Market, Consumer Policy or Constitutional Affairs.  Right - 
I'll tackle them.

Anne
-- 
Registered Linux User No.293302
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Re: [newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread Margot
John Richard Smith wrote:
I forward to this list , for members perusal, a copy of an email I have 
just sent to all my local East Midlands UK MEP's (Member of the European 
Parliament) concering the patenting of software code. I will let you 
know what if any reply I get.

John



Well done John - so you've done UK East Midlands, I've done UK South 
East - anyone here from other UK regions, or other EU countries?

Margot



Subject:
Patenting of Software Code
From:
John Richard Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date:
Fri, 03 Oct 2003 16:09:18 +
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED], 
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], 
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Many people on the Internet are expressing concerns about the way that 
the European Commission is introducing new laws to assist in the 
Patenting of Software Code.

It is being suggested by many very concerned people that allowing the 
patenting of Software code is like allowing an author to patent their 
own book, when of course an author owns the copy right to that book, but 
cannot patent something that is not a novel invention. If someone 
invents a novel device it can be patented, if someone creates a work of 
liturature they may own that piece of liturature, but one may not patent 
it. Software code is said to be a similar situation.  So that allowing 
software code to be patented is akin to allowing the patenting of a 
language which would be absurd, would you not agree.

What is the current situation?
Is this concern being addressed ?
John



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[newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread John Richard Smith
I forward to this list , for members perusal, a copy of an email I 
have
just sent to all my local East Midlands UK MEP's (Member of the 
European
Parliament) concering the patenting of software code. I will let you
know what if any reply I get.

John

LATER
==
Maybe it's too much for me to understand but here at this address ,

http://www.jeanmonnetprogram.org/papers/96/9608ftns.html

I found a summary of the situation.

John

--
John Richard Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

--- Begin Message ---
Many people on the Internet are expressing concerns about the way that 
the European Commission is introducing new laws to assist in the 
Patenting of Software Code.

It is being suggested by many very concerned people that allowing the 
patenting of Software code is like allowing an author to patent their 
own book, when of course an author owns the copy right to that book, but 
cannot patent something that is not a novel invention. If someone 
invents a novel device it can be patented, if someone creates a work of 
liturature they may own that piece of liturature, but one may not patent 
it. Software code is said to be a similar situation.  So that allowing 
software code to be patented is akin to allowing the patenting of a 
language which would be absurd, would you not agree.

What is the current situation?
Is this concern being addressed ?
John

--
John Richard Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 



--- End Message ---
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? 
Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com


[newbie] [Fwd: Patenting of Software Code]

2003-10-03 Thread John Richard Smith
I forward to this list , for members perusal, a copy of an email I have 
just sent to all my local East Midlands UK MEP's (Member of the European 
Parliament) concering the patenting of software code. I will let you 
know what if any reply I get.

John

--
John Richard Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

--- Begin Message ---
Many people on the Internet are expressing concerns about the way that 
the European Commission is introducing new laws to assist in the 
Patenting of Software Code.

It is being suggested by many very concerned people that allowing the 
patenting of Software code is like allowing an author to patent their 
own book, when of course an author owns the copy right to that book, but 
cannot patent something that is not a novel invention. If someone 
invents a novel device it can be patented, if someone creates a work of 
liturature they may own that piece of liturature, but one may not patent 
it. Software code is said to be a similar situation.  So that allowing 
software code to be patented is akin to allowing the patenting of a 
language which would be absurd, would you not agree.

What is the current situation?
Is this concern being addressed ?
John

--
John Richard Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 


--- End Message ---
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Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com