Re: [Fsfe-uk] Fwd: [Fwd: [Free-sklyarov-uk] Patent office calling for comments]

[Brian Gough]

MJ Ray writes:
 > Brian Gough <address@hidden> wrote:
 > > At one of the FOSDEM sessions someone from Eurolinux (can't remember
 > > who, sorry) was saying that the best way for free software developers
 > > to oppose software patents was as part of industry-wide group
 > > (i.e. software patents reduce innovation), rather than from the free
 > > software position (i.e. software patents harm free software).
 > 
 > Surely these are the same point?
 > 

The harm to free software is generally from not being able to copy
existing products or interoperate with them.

According to the Eurolinux person any campaigning against software
patents on the principle that they harm free software is
counterproductive.  He said they found that it leads politicians to
believe that 'only those free software people are opposed to patents'
--- and is not effective since it requires politicians to agree with
two facts that "patents harm free software" and that "free software is
worth protecting". 

Therefore, as far as software patents are concerned, he advocated
saying only "software patents reduce innovation" (one simple fact,
which is backed up by solid research) and never mentioning free
software, and so this was best done outside FS community.