MP3 Issue

[Martyn Ranyard]

As reported in slashdot recently ( 
http://slashdot.org/articles/02/08/27/1626241.shtml?tid=155 ) and being 
discussed all over the place, I am writing to all three kind-of-appropriate 
lists hoping to get an educated guess on the following points :

Thompson and Fraunhoffer have a patent (at least in the US) that covers the 
MP3 algorithm.  Is it enforcable outside the US?
Fraunhoffer are a German company - does Germany allow Software and 
Algorithm patents?
Is anyone talking to them about Free Software and how it is unreasonable to 
expect Free Software creators to pay the royalty-free cost and an admin 
nightmare to pay the per-unit cost?  Are they getting anywhere?

PS, fsfe-law and discussion at fsfeurope.org - I am not subscribed to these 
lists, so please cc me in, or the FSFE-UK list.


-
Martyn Ranyard
Free Software Advocate

jabber - joran at amessage.de
icq    - 122500800
irc    - Joran on oftc
msn    - ranyardm at hotmail.com
e      - ranyardm at lineone.net