FSFE Newsletter

[simo]

On Thu, 2008-01-03 at 15:42 +0000, Rui Miguel Silva Seabra wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 17, 2007 at 09:02:24PM +0100, Free Software Foundation Europe wrote:
> > 8. FSFE revisiting software patent information
> > 
> > We have begun to revisit the published information on out webpages.
> > There is increasing discussion of software patents within the institutions,
> > so we are revising the information published on out website.  Some updates
> > are already online, and in the coming weeks, we will continue to provide
> > more documentation about the current status as well as summaries of what was
> > learned and what has already happened.
> > 
> >   http://www.fsfeurope.org/projects/swpat
> 
> Please increase collaboration with FFII on this subject.
> 
> The semi-disaster of the Microsoft-vs-CE result

Why do you call it a disaster? Just for the patents problem? Or is there
anything else?

>  is still producing the
> image that Microsoft's software patents are valid *in*Europe*.

It's not the EC that is making this possible, it is the EPO that is
releasing patents to Microsoft.

Actually if you think it through you can argue that if the commission
forced MS to license their patents for a flat fee, that would constitute
much more recognition that such patents were valid, as it would mean the
EC actually really believe the patents are valid and worth arguing for a
flat fee.

However you put it, you can make the EC look good or bad equally. The
only way not to "fall" in the patents trap would be to ignore them
completely. But you can't, as in some countries there are valid patents
and it is much better to be given the option to have a license for these
countries than being barred from selling products/services there.

My 2c.

Simo.