[ILUG] Software Patents Agreement Adopted

[Justin Mason]

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John Madden writes:
> On (07/03/05 10:41), Justin Mason didst pronounce:
> > But really, the question has to be asked -- why does McCreevy feel that
> > software patents are worth pushing this hard?  
> > 
> Simple -- money. Microsoft's presence in Ireland generates jobs, exports
> and lots and lots of tax income for the government. All Bill has to do
> is promise Charlie that the plant will stay open if he gets the swpats
> through the EU. Of course, there's also the corollary of that (Bill
> tells Charlie that _unless_ swpats go through in the EU, the Irish plant
> will be closed). 
> 
> I don't personally know if either of these happened of course, but I'd
> guess it's one or the other.
> 
> Has anyone received word from any politicians since the decision? I seem
> to remember that a couple of ILUG members received word back from MEP's
> that they contacted, but were these few the minority or majority? I
> contacted Jan O'Sullivan, a Labour TD for east Limerick, and received no
> word back from her. Is it time to name and shame the TD's and MEP's who
> we've contacted and never heard back from?

The Green and Labour MEPs I've contacted were all very helpful and
agreeable, and the Greens in particular have a very solid party line
against software patenting.

Fianna Fail's MEPs' position during the last EP vote was entirely on "our
side", but that was a party-political voting bloc thing I think, since we
can see that the FF govt are in fact now pushing the directive through
regardless of how their MEPs voted back then!   How odd.


> I personally think that the only way to change the governments mind on
> this issue is to prove that it will reduce their income from software
> development, sales and exports in the long run because Microsoft and
> friends will have sued all the smaller companies out of business!

Well, there just wouldn't be any smaller companies -- it'd be too
risky a business to invest in, and investment already isn't exactly
plentiful.

- --j.
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