[Fsfe-ie] Re: 2004 dates for the EU Competitiveness Council

[Ciaran O'Riordan]

Hartmut Pilch <phm at a2e.de> writes:
> James Heald wrote:
> > For the moment, I suggest that *any* communication with the IPU go
> > through IFSO (Irish Free Software Organisation), and be co-ordinated by
> > them.  I suggest that, at least for the moment, we do *not* publicise
> > the IPU contact information on any public website of our own.
> 
> Disadvantages of this approach
> 
>  - treats the issue as one of free vs proprietary.

Free Software has not been mentioned in any collaborative work done by
fsfe-ie members.

>  - I do not know IFSO, and we have had last-minute discussions with
>    some people at IFSO who wanted to reinvent the wheel of our
>    (successful) counter-proposals and redesign the patent system on
>    their own.  The key basis for our success in the EP --
>    informed consensus of a sufficiently large group -- seems to be missing
>    with regard to IFSO.

IFSO does not exist yet.  It will be formed in late December or early
January.  You must be talking about individuals that are either from
Ireland or happen to be on the FSFeuropes' ireland mailing list.

The list has worked together on two letters that we have sent to MEPs.
For the first letter, I asked you how the MEPs should vote, and I added
your response to the letter.  In the second letter I formed a voting
list based on the amendment rankings page on swpat.ffii.

When I'm stuck, I sometimes ask James Heald or Alex Macfie for advice if
I can't find it on swpat.ffii.

IFSO will be concerned with software patents only.  Not redesigning the
patent system.  I hope to work *with* FFII.  I don't see anyone
suggesting we reinvent it.

> Nevertheless, for the time being I for my part am not publicising the
> IPU contact info.

Of course, we have no option but to reinvent the work of FFII whenever
FFII will not share it's findings.

I understand there can sometimes be good tactical reasons for witholding
data.  If you'd like to send anything off-list, feel free, and if you
indicate that certain data is not to be distributed, I'll respect this.
It's not the way I like to work, but that's a secondary issue.

> There are some people in Ireland who have been helpful in september, and
> we can find an effective way of establishing contacts.

I'll be collating the MEP responses at the end of this week.  I'll mail
a summary to someone at FFII.

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