[Fsfe-uk] swpat: illegal?

[MJ Ray]

An interesting point of view?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 2004-04-22 23:35:04 +0100
From: Christian Beauprez <address@hidden>
Subject: Software Patenting is illegal

Dear Sirs,

As someone who studied law and as a programmer I have taken these 
issues to heart and conducted extensive research into the subject of 
international obligations and "software inventions"

I wanted to bring to your attention the fact that such software 
patenting is in breach of international agreements namely the Berne 
Convenetion, WIPO Copyright, and the TRIPS Treaty despite what many IP 
lawyers would have us believe. (The European Communities and the US 
signed these treaties)

I gave a speech on this at the FFII conference  in the EU Parliament 
and wanted to make sure that people understand this. My speech comes 
with hyperlinked footnotes linking to all the relevant treaties so 
that people can see for themselves and make their own minds up.

You can find it at:

http://www.beauprez.net/softpat/ffii-talk140404.html

For your reference I have added a compliance chart that shows 
conformity to these obligations showing both Parliament and Council 
proposals.

http://www.beauprez.net/softpat/compliance.html


I have also written a "dream directive" that shows how simple it is to 
have a directive on "computer implemented inventions"  that would 
allow inventions with teachings to applied natural science while 
disallowing pure software patentability.

http://www.beauprez.net/softpat/dreamdirective.html

Kindest Regards,

Christian Beauprez