Re: [Fsfe-uk] URGENT RFC: Text for UK swpat MP lobbying/slashdotting

[Ramanan Selvaratnam]

On Fri, 2003-10-17 at 13:05, Clive Menzies wrote:
> On (17/10/03 13:54), Clive Menzies wrote:

> > Although not directly relevant to this request, this should be essential 
> > reading for MP's:
> > 
> > http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/opensource/opensource.html?pg=5&topic=&topic_set=
> Ooops! sorry the above is a link to the last page of the article -
> here's page 1:
> 
> http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/opensource/opensource.html?pg=1&topic=&topic_set=

I do not think this is a suitable article to send to any UK mainstream
MP or MEP.
Apart from being technically misleading with terms like 'Open Source'
(instead of free software), 'Linux' (instead of GNU/Linux) and Torvald
planting the seed of his OS (?)...
the article does not focus on software patents (SWPAT) instead seems to
stray into many different fields.

What the MPs need to know is as concisely as possible 
1/why SWPAT are uniquely different to other patents. 
2/why SWPAT will be bad for UK software businesses.

Sorry I do not have an alternative to point to but maybe someone else
will if there is a need for it.

A more holistic argument is well and good but one chosen without much
careful consideration risks straying away from the urgent matter of
SWPAT and clashing with other more powerful industries and interests.

All the best,

Ramanan, UK

signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part