[Fsfe-ie] Morning Ireland piece on Software Patents

[James Heald]

Ben North wrote:
> Another one from Morning Ireland:
> 
> There was a short piece about the Software Patent Directive on at about
> 0750 this morning (06-May-2004).  There was a brief introduction, then a
> short interview with a representative of (I think) some venture capital
> company.  The interviewee said that he was worried about the amended
> version of the directive passed by the Parliament back in September (the
> one we like).  He was worried it would reduce investment, and he and
> others were meeting with some (Irish) parliament committee later today
> to put the point of view that they should go back to the original text.
> The interviewee seemed to think he had the ear of the appropriate people
> and that the Irish presidency of the EU would help him get his preferred
> version of the directive through.
> 
> I may be mis-remembering some of this, but would this be worth a quick
> email to RTE pointing out the other side?  Perhaps for now we should
> concentrate on getting our patent letter out, though.
> 
>    http://www.rte.ie/news/morningireland.html
> 
> doesn't have today's show up yet, but will soon I expect.
> 

RTE's Real Server seems to be maxed out, but it's top story on the 
"Morning business news" webpage, at
	http://www.rte.ie/business/2004/0506/mibusiness.html


"PUSH FOR PATENT CHANGE, GOVERNMENT URGED - The patentability of 
computer implemented inventions may not be the talk of the breakfast 
table this morning but according to the people who should know, the 
latest EU directive on the issue threatens to undermine a lot of the 
software success we have been enjoying.

A number of Irish companies will raise their concerns on it at a meeting 
of  the Dail Committee on European Affairs this morning.

Trinity Venture Capital's investment director Brian Caulfield says 
patents are the main mechanism used by high-tech companies to prevent 
their inventions being copied or used without permission.

He says the directive was aimed at harmonising EU rules, but the 
European Parliament passed some amendments in September which would make 
it impossible to patent any software-related invention. Mr Caulfield 
said he feared this would cost jobs by reducing investment in the sector.

But he said he was happy with the Government's response so far. The 
Government has prepared an alternative text which the industry is 
supporting. He hopes this will be adopted."