[Fsfe-ie] EU DRM consultation and software patent status

[Ciaran O'Riordan]

Hi all, slightly rushed mail:  SWPATS, DRM, Contact/Committee

SWPATS:

I've been talking to Holger Blasum about the software patents directive and
stuff - he says we should be lobbying our national representatives at the
moment.  (Supposition: Our Council minister is a rep for the Irish govt. so
we have to get the govt. to talk to their rep.)  So swpats is a *National*
issue.

IIRC, Harney is still our Council minister, but since we don't have the
presidency anymore, she won't look bad if the directive is heavily amended -
so we can make a difference.  I don't know what the deadline is - Holger
will probably be in contact with the list with more info soon.

So that probably means sending a letter to Mary Hanafin, Mary Harney, Noel
Dempsey, and Entemp.  I'll work on this (have to finish an already written
letter - no idea what the deadline is, *all* EU documents are greatly
delayed due to a shortage of legal translators for the new members states)


DRM:

Some one/thing in the E[UP] are looking for comments on DRM:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/2005/all_about/digital_rights_man/text_en.htm

The deadline for comments is Sept 15th.

Some people with our point of view are drafting a comment:
http://wiki.vrijschrift.nl/DRMcomments

That page is a wiki, so you can improve it.  Personally, I'd argue our case
completely differently, so much so that I want to write a quick From IFSO
letter.  Unfortunately I'll be doing it on dead tree due to lack of computer
access, but I'll send it to the list at least 24hrs before sending it.


Contact/Committee:

I will have a mobile phone later today (yes, I've finally grudgingly agreed
to being tracked constantly), I'll post my number to the list soon after.
Glenn and Aidan are both up to their eyeballs in work/stuff/life - not sure
about Malcolm, he's organising t-shirts last I heard.  But communication is
a bit drawn out right now due to busyness.


-- 
Ciarán O'Riordan
http://www.compsoc.com/~coriordan/
Free Software in Ireland: http://ifso.ie