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What does Linus T. say about it?
Dear Mr. Cox,

We have been following with growing concern that Europe has been extending patentability to computer programs. Now European Parliament is about to vote on a directive that could put a stop to this development, or make it worse, depending on how it is amended by the Parliament.

US experience shows that, unlike traditional patents, software patents do not encourage innovation and R&D, quite the contrary. In particular they hurt small and medium-sized enterprises and generally newcomers in the market. They will just weaken the market and increase spending on patents and litigation, at the expense of technological innovation and research.

Especially dangerous are attempts to abuse the patent system by preventing interoperability as a means of avoiding competition with technological ability. Standards should never be patentable! Likewise, patents should never be used as means for preventing publication of information - the whole idea of patents is to provide time-limited monopoly in exchange for publication of the invention.

SOFTWARE PATENTS ARE ALSO THE UTMOST THREAT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LINUX AND OTHER AND OTHER FREE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, as we are forced to see every day while we work with the Linux development. We want to be able to provide the world with free high class, high quality, highly innovative software products that really empower the users and offer the best and only real chance to narrow the digital divide. Please do not make this harder to us that it already is! In conclusion, we would recommend You to vote for such amendments that

clarify limits of patentability so that computer programs, algorithms and business methods really cannot be patented as such;
make sure that patents cannot be abused to avoid technical competition by preventing interoperability of competing products; and
ensure that patents cannot be used to prevent publication of information.


Sincerely,

Linus Torvalds


Or maybe this:

"When asked what he thought was the biggest threat to Linux, Torvalds said he was extremely confident that the operating system itself was robust but admitted problems outside of technical sphere may cause trouble further down the line. "The things that tend to worry me are software patents. When non-technical issues can be used to stop software development--that for me is the scariest part," he said. "


What I find curious is that so many in the open soure community are certain that Mr. Trovald is stupid and doesn't have a clue on this matter. Go figure...
Posted by: No_Ax_to_Grind   Posted on: 04/15/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Now did that hurt anybody? And, is it complete?  oldskool | 04/15/04
Good for everyone,,,, except Open Source.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
On OOo, yes... on StarOffice, no  Michael Kelly | 04/15/04
Star Office is not open source...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
What's broken in this thinking is its not OSS that's shut out -  oldskool | 04/15/04
Problem is MS only has one hand  Jay Cash | 04/15/04
True, that's why users love MS products.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
This is not a Microsoft problem  B.O.F.H. | 04/15/04
Sorry, I have to disagree.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Users did not make Office the standard!  oldskool | 04/15/04
So then how is it...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Why is it then that...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Well????  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Users did not make Office the standard!  seosamh_z | 04/15/04
You "Office makes the world go round" guys are too funny  oldskool | 04/16/04
Then Open Source needs to start preempting MS  Michael Kelly | 04/15/04
How can open source...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
A couple things...  Michael Kelly | 04/15/04
Balmer answered this question himself  oldskool | 04/15/04
Then Open Source needs to start preempting MS  seosamh_z | 04/15/04
100% spot on.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Nonsense, R&D costs IBM on every platform!  oldskool | 04/15/04
Say what?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Ya gotta admit, MS would be awsome if they focused!  oldskool | 04/15/04
Actually, it's easier than that  IT_User | 04/15/04
BSD is Open Source  Yagotta B. Kidding | 04/15/04
When you "close the door"  Jay Cash | 04/15/04
True, I always...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
What does Linus T. say about it?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
MS may actually benefit the industry  IT_User | 04/15/04
Interesting and thoughtful post.  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
Yes but..  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Doesn't bitty ever get tired of hearing himself crow?  Spam-ZD | 04/16/04
GPL not tested in court???  IT_User | 04/16/04
Patent wars?  IT_User | 04/16/04
Whoa, back up a couple of feet.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
this has nothing to do with open source  V Sanders | 04/15/04
Mountain out of a molehill, as usual, Axe...  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
Unless you get caught of course.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Huh??  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
I was talking about your example.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Even so.....  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
Wrong...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Explain that one to me please....  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
From Microsoft's web site:  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Did that explain it Jose?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Yeah, here's your license.....  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
So you agree, you must have a license.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
I never said you didn't  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
So your claim...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Is this where you smugly claim to have won the debate?  Jose Jimenez | 04/15/04
Don't be so hard on No_Ax...  B.O.F.H. | 04/15/04
What has that to do with the discusion..  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
Just helpiing your arguement about the evils of Open Source  B.O.F.H. | 04/15/04
There did that help your little ego?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
No ego involved here, not even needed!  B.O.F.H. | 04/15/04
Daid the little one that can't post without insults.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
No_Ax, is that the best you can do?  B.O.F.H. | 04/15/04
NO, I can't come close to your insultive behaviour.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 04/15/04
No_Ax, a quick serach on google will show that you have gone farther!  B.O.F.H. | 04/15/04
isn't that like stalking  V Sanders | 04/15/04

What do you think?

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