Trivial patents *not the problem* (was: Re: [ILUG] Re: ILUG sends s/w patents briefing document to Irish MEPs)

[Ciaran O'Riordan]

Colm MacCarthaigh <colm at stdlib.net> writes:
> Why shouldn't democratic society decide that we can do without software
> hobbyists in favour of greater employment (say) ? That's the argument you
> have to explain.

That's *an* argument that will have to be discussed.

The consequences of the directive will be felt by employment, as well as
SMEs, Free Software, indigenous software industry, indigenous software
*using* industries, democracy, even national security, but the causes of the
consequences are the two points I gave.

Each of the above points has to be raised, but the point was and is that
trivial patents (which the thread was arguing about virtually exclusively)
are not the problem.

Also, be careful not to rest your case on something that could be "refuted"
by a (MS funded) study or a misguided (pressured) SME union.


-- 
Ciarán O'Riordan,
http://www.compsoc.com/~coriordan/
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