Robert, On Fri, 2005-02-11 at 00:11 +0000, Robert Fitzsimons wrote:
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.
Sounds like fun :)
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.
I think everyone here agrees that the use of Free Software is a choice that is provided by the existence of a free market. I think that patents are detrimental to the free market that allows Free Software to flourish. As patents are detrimental to the free market, they are detrimental to competition in general and thus effect _software developers_ rather than just Free Software developers. I'd have no problem arguing that patents are detrimental to software development in general.
- 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 think we're on the same wavelength here.
- 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.
I have yet to see a patent that is worthy of a 20 year monopoly. Nothing I have seen will be useful after a single generation of technology nor is it non-obvious. Thus I don't think that a common pool of knowledge will result from patent expirations. Particularly given the opaque language they're written in. I don't understand if I'm violating a patent now and I don't think I'll understand the patent language in 20 years to be able to use it.