[Fsfe-ie] 1page summary to MEPs (new 2 page format)

[Malcolm Tyrrell]

> here it is:
> http://www.compsoc.com/~coriordan/docs/dear_mep/

Really excellent Ciaran! Exactly the kind of thing that's needed.

Two comments:

Firstly, the "Telecommunications research" section:

> One big player in the global telecom companies has expressed concern
> that without software patents, funding software systems research will
> not be cost effective since others could benefit from the findings. We
> are asked to believe that research will cease, and the telecom
> industry will never find a alternative approach.

In response to this, you offer a recommendation:

> Maybe they could set up a research consortium, spread the costs and
> make the benefits cumulative rather than exclusive. Competition would
> then be more consumer orientated, based on reliability,
> first-to-market, price, etc. rather than an artificial shortage of
> knowledge.

I'm not sure if our recommendations would be taken seriously. It might
be preferable to simply note that research is being done and (I assume)
is cost effective, even though telecom companies are currently operating
without software patents.

Secondly, I noticed a simple grammatical mistake (that I had to look up to
be sure):

> Software companies collaborate to everyones benefit

"everyones" should be "everyone's".

Good luck,

Malcohol.