From owner-freebsd-hackers Fri Dec 22 7:58:49 2000 From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Dec 22 07:58:47 2000 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mutsaers.com (dubkurdsp503.agrinet.ch [212.232.160.3]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A5BF337B400 for ; Fri, 22 Dec 2000 07:58:46 -0800 (PST) Received: (from plm@localhost) by mutsaers.com (8.11.1/8.11.1) id eBMFvkV12252; Fri, 22 Dec 2000 16:57:46 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from plm) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message-ID: <14915.31226.80051.225553@mutsaers.com> Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 16:57:46 +0100 From: Peter Mutsaers To: "Julian Stacey Jhs@jhs.muc.de" Cc: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, "Hartmut Pilch" Subject: Software Patents. Was Re: FreeBSD vs Linux, Solaris, and NT In-Reply-To: <200012220120.eBM1KVp10419@jhs.muc.de> References: <87itod98h0.fsf@mutsaers.com> <200012220120.eBM1KVp10419@jhs.muc.de> X-Mailer: VM 6.88 under Emacs 20.7.1 Sender: plm@mutsaers.com Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG >> "Julian" =3D=3D Julian Stacey Jhs@jhs muc de writes= : >> In Europe, software >> patents do not exist and cannot be granted. Julian> Wrong ! Sadly ! That's the old simple theoretical world I Julian> learnt about back in University in the late 70's, it Julian> changed & got worse ... lawyers encroached, & the EPO Julian> expanded like crazy ! Julian> The key words "As Such" in regard to software patents Julian> bring an ironic smile to the lips of patent examiners in Julian> the field. Julian> =09( & I'm being precise here, about the smile, I lunch oft= en Julian> =09with examiners at http:/www.epo.org =3D European Patent Julian> =09Office, Nice food, nice people, shame about the patents = ! Julian> =09They're clever people & personal friends, & I do my smal= l Julian> =09bit to persuade them to be careful of the effects of wha= t Julian> =09they grant, but the patent system is really sick, change= Julian> =09needs to come from top down, not bottom up). What I have learned is that the EPO has been granting software patents for several years now, so that they are in place when and if software patents shall be allowed in the EU (probably they have nothing better to do than grant patents in advance, that are not yet lawful=3F). --=20 Peter Mutsaers | D=FCbendorf | UNIX - Live free or die plm@gmx.li | Switzerland | Sent via FreeBSD 4.2-stable To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message