[FYI] Alan Cox: Fight European Patent Law

[Kristian Köhntopp <kris@koehntopp.de>]

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/2000/21/ns-15719.html

Alan Cox: Fight Euro patenting law



 Thu, 01 Jun 2000 15:14:15 GMT
 Will Knight


Alan Cox says US-style patent regulations should
be resisted and calls the technical community to
arms... Will Knight reports 

Linux kernel developer Alan Cox called on European
open source supporters Thursday to fight moves within
the European Union to introduce strict software
patenting. 

During his keynote speech at the European Linux 2000
conference in London, Cox said that pressure from
America to introduce US-style software regulations
would have disastrous results for the European
software industry. 

In Europe it is possible to patent a complex software
system but not elementary or abstract aspects of that
system. In contrast the US allows specific parts of a
software system to be patented. The EU is currently
debating doing the same. It is expected to issue a
directive by the third or fourth quarter. 

Cox says the US system places ludicrous limitations on
small software companies and open source developers
because they have to pay a licensing fee every time
they use a common programming technique. 
...

-- 
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 Now they're going to be a pain in the ass to their kids."
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