I agree that it's interesting from the policy viewpoint. In 2003, the USPTO opposed a meeting between WIPO and NGOs to discuss free software, amongst other "open collaborative models". So whether this latest is a change of position or tactic, it would seem unlikely that they could now oppose an international meeting such as was planned.
http://www.cptech.org/ip/wipo/openwipo.html
Teresa
Joseph Kiniry wrote:
Hi Ciaran,
On 10 Jan, 2006, at 12:15, Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
Joseph Kiniry kiniry@acm.org writes:
Has anyone tracked these proposed software projects?
This is the first I've heard of them.
They're probably not worth too much attention though. They say they're trying to help free software, but they're avoiding our main problem (that patents could block us from writing useful free software replacements for popular proprietary software), and they're addressing the problem that hits Microsoft and the big proprietary companies as much as it hits us (patent thickets and trolls/zombies living off litigation based on patents bought from less-litigious companies).
I'm not saying that initiatives like this are not backed by good intentions, but there's not much that people in the USA can actually do to prevent the harm that software patents do to free software (and software freedom in general).
I was interested mainly because of the whole "see, the PTO *is* responding to the complaints of the FLOSS community!" angle which, while is partly true, for the reasons you and Shane have highlighted and others, is certainly not wholly true. OTOH, maybe this is just a first step on the road of true reform that might happen within our lifetime.
Joe _______________________________________________ fsfe-ie@fsfeurope.org mailing list List information: http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/fsfe-ie Public archive: https://mail.fsfeurope.org/mailman/listinfo/fsfe-ie