Essen, Aug 5th 2004
In reaction to the decision by the City of Munich to re-evaluate its migration plans to Free Software, the Free Software Foundation Europe points out that software patents are equally a significant problem for both Free Software and proprietary software alike.
"Without doubt, software patents are a roadblock to innovation. They will extort a high price that has to be paid by all European citizens through loss of competitiveness, and also jobs", says Georg Greve, President of the FSFE.
Software patents can not be a reason to stop migration from non-free to Free Software. While Free Software is going to suffer along with all of industry and society, there is no need to fear for its existence or legal safety any more than there is need to fear such legal insecurity with regard to proprietary software.
"Therefore, the FSFE encourages the municipality of Munich to not allow being stopped on its way to freedom by tactics of spreading Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt", says Georg Greve. He also adds: "As a related, but different issue we also suggest them to increase the pressure on the German government to refuse software patents once and for all."
About the Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) is a charitable non-governmental organization dedicated to all aspects of Free Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. Therefore the freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition- allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSF Europe, which was founded in 2001 as the European sister organization of the Free Software Foundation in the United States.
Further information: http://www.fsfeurope.org
Contact:
Georg C. F. Greve <greve at fsfeurope.org> Tel: +49-40-23809080 Fax: +49-40-23809081