[ILUG] Fwd: Mary Harney's Answer on Software Patents

[John Gay]

On Fri 28 May 2004 22:31, ilug-request at linux.ie wrote:
> > I asked her why, after a full year of Europeans stating their cases
> > regarding software patents, the Irish government had decided to strip out
> > all the ammendments that had been carefully drafted to limit the damages
> > such patents could cause?
> >
> > Her answer was "You must be one of those LINUX fanatics." Which she
> > pronounced LIE-NOX.
>
> I don't think there is anything wrong with opposition to software patents
> being associated with Linux.

There is when the topic can be dismissed as 'It's only those long-haired Linux 
fanatics who think that all software need to be free and that companies have 
no right to make money"

Of course companies have a right, and obligation to make money. That is what 
copyright is for. To protect companies from having their products stolen and 
copied illegally.

But patents are far too broad-ranging and would stifle independent development 
by small and medium sized software companies. We must be sure to explain that 
we support companies making money from their work, but patents are teh wrong 
way to protect that. Copyright is the right tool.

Cheers,

	John Gay