teresahackett wrote:
Extract
[snip]
Moreover, enforcement of IPRs is good for OSS developers just as it is for commercial software developers. Obligations regarding the use of open source software are established in the respective OS licenses and grounded upon IPRs . The ability to enforce these IPRs is a critical element in maintaining the open source system.
Well, it's nice to know she was listening to at least *some* of the talk I gave in Strasbourg :-)
What I went on to say, of course, was that there is a very delicate balance to be maintained between the needs of supposed rightsholders (often very powerful), and the need to avoid undue harassment of innocent deliberately-targeted innovative small companies and software projects.
If Mme Fourtou wants to introduce the needs of OSS projects into the debate, then bring it on. It opens a space between the goalposts the size of a barn door for IFSO to officially publicly respond to this letter.
Failure to achieve a minimal harmonisation of IPR enforcement rules in an enlarged EU will expose software developers – both commercial and open source – to situations in which they are unable to enforce their respective rights.
As somebody pointed out in the Slashdot discussion on the directive a week ago, what you actually need to enforce the GPL is pretty minimal, not any of this clodhopping boot-boys stuff.
Unless Mme Fourtou thinks we just can't wait to apply for a nice Anton Piller order for a private raid on Microsoft Ireland ? :-)
James.