[ILUG] patents again

[Conor Daly]

On Tue, Apr 26, 2005 at 10:55:11AM +0100 or so it is rumoured hereabouts, 
Colm MacCarthaigh thought:
> 
> As I've said here before, I think the sad truth of it is what while
> Software patents are economically bad for Europe, they are economically
> good for Ireland, since a large part of our economy is based on the
> encumbant patent-holders, and incentivising them.
> 
> Software patents will help those companies shut down competition in the
> other european countries, and ultimately probably will benefit our
> economy - in the short to medium term anyway. Our politicians know this,
> they arn't stupid.

I presume they're also aware that the same multinationals will desert
Ireland as soon as one of the new EU entrants offers them a better tax
regime.  Having SW pats in place will make this a more attractive option
for a country since their indiginous software industry will be dead and
therefore, an anti-swpat stance from Ireland will better protect our
dependence on MS, IBM etc...
 
So, could we use that then?

Conor
-- 
Conor Daly <conor.daly at oceanfree.net>

Domestic Sysadmin :-)
---------------------
Hobbiton.cod.ie
 16:49:38  up 25 days,  1:06,  1 user,  load average: 0.13, 0.12, 0.08