Hi Guys
It's been a while since I've talked with any of you, but I might be able to help with getting a meeting with Mr McCreevy. A friend from work has a contact(s) or family who is a high up member Fianna Fail and/or the current government.
I've talked with my friend many times about the patent issue. He would seem to be in favour of patents in general but does agree with a number of the issues we have raised about the proposes directives.
He did say that he could try and get us extra contact or even a meetings with the relevant minister(s) if that would help us get our message across.
As for arguments against software patents:
* We might need to promote the effects on the commercial software development as much as the effects on free software. * From a free trade point of view monopoly's and closed markets are bad for global business, patents help to promote and in large monopoly's and closed markets. * I would also like to see some discussion on how these patents benefit the common pool of knowledge after the patent expires, and if this extra (?) knowledge is worthily of a 20 year monopoly.
Robert Fitzsimons robfitz@273k.net
On Thu, Feb 10, 2005 at 06:41:46PM +0000, Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
He didn't mention then why, on our understanding, he was the single solitary MEP to vote against ?
So, we're scratching our heads wondering how to get our message to McCreevy
- and here's an MEP that strongly agrees with us and maintains good
relations with McCreevy. Brilliant.
I'll try to get a meeting with Crowley or his assistant for Monday.
-- CiarĂ¡n O'Riordan http://www.compsoc.com/~coriordan/ Free Software in Ireland: http://www.ifso.ie