James Heald j.heald@ucl.ac.uk writes:
From: "Ciaran O'Riordan" ciaran@member.fsf.org
I propose gathering a list of companies (using the list of directories James Heald posted yesterday as a starting point). We could then contact these companies and see how many we can get to sign up to our "Business Freedom" project (or whatever it's called).
Any thoughts on the suggestion of sending out a semi-academic software patents questionnaire, as per the second half of that email ?
Yes, it's a good idea. We should definitely send out something, possibly a questionaire.
Teresa Hackett (working on the IPR Enforcement Directive) is also looking for a list of companies that we can gather support from.
So lets split the work rather than duplicating it.
A possible implementation would be:
Draw up Preamble, Principles, and Current Projects. Ask companies for their approval of our work for a 12 month period. At the end of this period, we'd summarise our work and produce an updated Current Projects notice, and ask companies if they will continue supporting out work for an additional 12 month period.
This would give us business support without us having to ask for signatures every time we write a new letter.
I don't know. I haven't ironned it out fully, but with limited resources, I want to figure out the most efficient way to work this.
This would be similar to software-using companies forming a union. They don't have to agree 100% with everything, but solidarity would be beneficial to all.