[ILUG] Software patents, Ireland and the EU/Proposition for action

[John Madden]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On (01/03/05 15:25), Bryan O'Donoghue didst pronounce:
> 
> Would you not think that since people are fundamentally less likely to 
> go to the bother of writing individual letters, that a simple email 
> reply-to validated list of signatories to a letter, calling for a 
> restart to the patent proposal process, would have some effect?
> 
It may have some effect, but not as much as showing how much small IT
companies stand to lose from this, which will in turn effect the
economy. If McCreevy is doing this to keep Microsoft happy, then it's
likely it's because of the input Microsoft make to the economy through
sales, employment etc. etc.

> Let me say, I accept that individual letters would be _far_ more 
> effective, but, in a theoretical pie in the sky, wouldn't you say a 
> letter, with 10,000 confirmed signatories, perhaps specifically 
> targetted at Commissioner McCreevy, be exactly the _sort_ of thing that 
> would make a politican want to shift position, in that lots of potential 
> voters, would be seen to have been made aware of issue(x) and at least 
> motivated enough, to allow themselves to be included in said letter ?
> 
IMO, a petition would only be effective if it was widely publicised in
the press that it has been signed by 10,000 people who support the
restart of the process, and generally sheds some bad press on McCreevy
and friends. If it's just a petition that gets a few mentions on mailing
lists and websites, then it'll drum up support alright, but not enough
to put pressure on the government to do something.

Presuming it could be organised, I think something like a no-work day or
similar would be a better idea, since it's almost sure to get the media
interested, and could show afterwards that one day with no IT work being
done cost the businesses X amount, and the economy Y amount, and that if
software patents go through, X amount could be lost on a daily basis
because of small businesses not being able to compete against the patent
portfolios of major multi-nationals.

Just my €0.02 on the subject.

- -- 
Chat ya later,

John.
- --
BOFH excuse #1: clock speed
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFCJIx1QBw+ZtKOvTIRAmvXAJ90UhMpMM2Z6CuluxIuNY4HnDnyAACeNS4y
alPzt9NmapuT72ZriDHZqvI=
=dIL1
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----