German government positive about software patents

[Alexandre Dulaunoy]

On Wed, 12 Jun 2002, Georg C. F. Greve wrote:

>  || On Mon, 10 Jun 2002 17:13:22 +0200 (CEST)
>  || Alexandre Dulaunoy <alex at conostix.com> wrote:
>
>  ad> 	Is it an official statement for the German Government ?
>
> It is a statement by the BMJ (German Ministry of Justice).
>
> Other ministries are against software patents, others are undecided.
>
> We're currently busy talking to the responsible people and try to make
> sure the "official governmental position" will be against software
> patents.
>
> Regards,
> Georg
>
>

	The classical issue and the battle between ministries in the same
country. The problem is that software patent is touching multiple area :

	- Ministry of Economy

		"Bad" point of view : The economy of a country via patents.

		"Good" point of view : Small country can't compete with
software patents and/or we are not a "productor" of software like the US.

	- Ministry of Justice

		"Bad" point of view : legal framework is necessary
(following WTO-WIPO-TRIPS agreement)

		"Good" point of view : legal framework difficult to apply
as a country with some pression from big ones

	- Ministry of Industry

		"Bad" point of view : thinking in the old fashion : "Ah
patents like the ones for the industrial processes,ok ... no probs"

		"Good" point of view same~ as Ministry of Economy (young
company...), impossible to create innovation

	- Ministry of Scientific Research (Education)

		"Bad" point of view : This could be a method for financing
the research/education sector

		"Good" point of view : No research is possible in Computer
Science with software patents

	Maybe we could add the ministry of social affair ? But with I see
only a good point of view ;-)

	Just some comment, I got when I talk against Software Patents.

	comments ? ideas ?

	adulau

--
Alexandre Dulaunoy              http://www.foo.be/
AD993-RIPE                      http://www.ael.be/
"People who fight may lose.  People who do not fight have already lost."
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