[ILUG] Software Patents Agreement Adopted

[Paul Biggar]

> It's worth noting, that Florian Muller sees Paddies under the bed,
> Paddies "leeching" the European Union, Paddies eating babies presumably..

You might note that Ireland is in fact responsible for many of the
atrocities attributed to us. Most of the damage occurred during the
Irish presidency, and much of the rest is due to McCreevy. Muller
correctly assesses Irish dependence on the large multi-nationals, and
they were largely responsible for the rags-to-riches story leading
Ireland from the 80s to the present day. He is correct in stating the
reason Microsoft pays no tax in the UK, and correct in saying that
Ireland is the largest exporter of software, must to the detriment of
the rest of Europe.

He perceives, as does McCreevy and FF, that Microsoft's gain is
Ireland's gain. His rant might sound like a diatribe aimed at Ireland,
but he is merely alleging the same things of McCreevy that we are. And
while we say McCreevy is responsible, to everybody else McCreevy is
Ireland.

> He honestly doesn't seem to acknowledge that a country as powerful as
> his own "Germany" which can rewrite the growth and stability pact... has
> singularly failed to do _anything_ except be complicit in the pro-Patent

There is quite a difference between collaborators and ring leaders. We
(ie our government) are the bad guys here.

> drive... and instead chooses to scapegoat Ireland... quite ignorantly I
> might add, with "facts" which are out of date, and clearly skewed from
> something he heard once, into a "fact".
> It's kind of sad, that Florian has appointed himself head of
> "NoSoftwarePatents" and then, insists (despite having it pointed out to
> him a number of times, that he's got quite a few of his "facts" wrong)
> that Ireland is the source of all evil.

I'd like you to point out which of the facts in that particular
diatribe are wrong, skewed and/or out-of-date. I'll admit that this
seems to be an attack on Ireland, and I was quite taken aback when I
first read it, but unfortunately, the facts are not on our side here.

> These facts are completely lost on Florian... who _insists_ in what I
> can only describe as self righteous and pretty xenophobic rants....
> that... little old Ireland (which recently failed to be able to secure
> government funding for our crown jewel "Intel"), is running Europe,
> siezing positions of power and dictating terms to the other 495 million
> Europeans..

He never said that. What he did say is the McCreevy is the most
powerful man in the process, and acting in Ireland's interest.

> Paranoia and Xenophobia, doesn't even come close to describe the
> diatribe against Ireland contained in parts of nosftwarepatents.com .
> 
> I'm against patents, but, there is _no_ way, I will validate the slur,
> Florian _insists_ on spreading about this country, especially, when he's
> not particularly well informed about his facts.

Much like we judge America on the actions of its leaders, so too does
the rest of Europe judge Ireland on the actions of McCreevy and of the
government during our presidency. Not only is he perfectly well
informed of the facts, but he also draws (albeit somewhat harshly, but
contrast it to how we tend to lambaste Americans) valid conclusions
about the Irish leadership. The Ireland in his story has been guilty
of all the crimes he alleges, and describing his statement as a slur
only damages the cause we are trying to support.

I would agree that he should tone it down, but to allege that it is
merely a slur and that he doesn't know his facts is merely a giant
swing in the opposite direction, and not a productive argument. You do
the man far more injustice than he does us, and you are much furthur
from the mark than he is.


Paul

> 
> /rant ends
> 
> [1]I meant reds under the bed of course.
> --
> Irish Linux Users' Group
> http://www.linux.ie/mailman/listinfo/ilug/
> 
> 


-- 
Paul Biggar
paul.biggar at gmail.com