Gnome, mplayer and some other sites had a big thing about the european patent thing on their sites. I don't get it though. Europe doesn't make any OS's that I know of. Microsoft, Apple and all the big software companies are Americian companies so what do they care about software patents? Sorry I don't mean to offend you if you are from Europe.

Also GNU doesn't belong solely to europe so how can they and they alone do anything to prevent it? The rest of the countries in the world are not going to follow suite. And considering that the *nix core was funded by the United States government what are they going to do sue themselves. All patent issues are taken on a point by point bases here in the US, which makes sense to me. And I can't see China really caring about such a matter or other countries. All seems like people are in a panic over nonesense.

Sounds like the man need some education. I recommend

www.nosoftwarepatents.com

which is a campaign endorsed by most leading luminaries of F/OSS such as Linus, Richard Stallman et al. The problem I find is that here in Europe we are far too ready to say "Well, if the U.S. does it then it must be right" without thinking through the options. Take Microsoft trying to patent an equation on a calculator and other such nonsense. There is a real danger that large companies with plenty of cash in the bank could simply scare off innovative startups with lawsuits and patent applications if the bill is passed. Europe produces a hell of a lot of F/OSS (take Suse for example) so it isnt just people panicking over nonsense.
Regards
Chris

Firstly, software is more than just an OS.

Secondly, at the moment software patents are not allowed in Europe at the moment (in theory), which makes even more sense than the US position. Just look at the ludicrous software patents that have been granted in the US. (Google if you dont know of any.)

Thirdly, they will affect anyone who wants to sell software in Europe.

They will effect anyone wanting to make and distribute software in Europe, never mind the selling... The software patents law did pass recently in the EU, but since the whole process was far from how it should have been handled, the case is far from closed. And yes, surprisingly, software is made outside of your belowed united states also

Here is a quote from the site.

The beginning of the end for linux... that is ridiculous. As I said here in the US patents are taken on a point by point bases and it so far since the conception of linux it hasn't hurt it's development.

Some software should be patenable... like if joe blow comes up with a kick ass compression algorithm or some amazing video codec then his idea should be patentable and he should be able to make money of his idea if he so chooses.

Closed source and open source can live in harmony just like here in the US. As long as people don't blantly copy a patented software then there is no problem. Just like microsoft can't copy GNU software and use it in there OS because of the GNU license forbids it. Why is Europe make such a big deal about stupid stuff. What exactly is europe going to patent that will have this amazing impact on the software market? It's a complete joke.

You can't really take suse as an European OS. The code was written by people around the world. Suse just packaged it together in a nice distro. That is like me saying my slack is an americain OS becuase pat the maintainer is from California, USA.

Sorry I didn't mean to start this flame ware of europe and america. I know europe produced software, they make some good chess software for one. Fritz which I think is the best chess software in the world.

But you have to admit that all the major OS's are american.

Yes like Suse, Mandrake, Ubuntu, Knoppix, Debian, Xandros. Check out distrowatch and then get back to me on that last statement would you?

Yes, silly us getting our knickers in a twist. Some countries dont just lie back and accept things. Its what the British are good at you see. Thats why we dont have a Patriot Act. Have you any idea the jokes people make about your president over here? Oh I've gone off on one again....

Yes I realize that the maintainers of those distro's are from Europe but it hardly make it qualified for a European OS. The code was written by people around the world... everywhere.

Are you trying to infer that Europe will patent the Suse OS. Even if they did it doesn't stop Red Hat or Slack from developing there own Linux distro?

So what are they going to patent that will have this major effect on the linux developemnt? You can't give me any because there aren't any. Period.

Though there is the SCO case...

I disagree. The costs of patenting effectively limits your regular Joe Blow's ability to patent absolutely anything. Patents are the playfield of major corporations that generally use patent laws to make life difficult to smaller companies and individual people that might get silly ideas of competing with them. Copyright laws provide enough protection to software.

Linux is originally from scandinavia and the whole Linux thingy is international for the sole reason that it mr. Torvalds decided to distribute it under GPL. There is a lot in Linux kernel that could have as well been patented.

But basically I think it comes down to the fact that Europeans do not WANT software patents. As we live in democracy, we ought to have the right to say no to them if we so choose.

Then please tell me why Linus and the others are so concerned? Why was www.nosoftwarepatents.com started up? Why have so many opposed this legislation. The problem here of course is that you are assuming that what you have in the U.S. is "the best way to do something" or "is fine because it doesnt hurt current developers". Try and think outside the square. Microsoft love their lawyers almost as much as their mothers and wont hesitate to litigate against a small fledgling company they see as a threat. Having a patent is just one more weapon in their arsenal. You need to read the facts before basing your argument on assumptions.
Regards
Chris

Linux wasn't developed in the US. If these patent laws had been around in Finland when Linus developed the kernel - no Linux?.

Some? If some, surely all? Or is there a judge somewhere - "Sorry, your software isn't kick ass enough, NEXT!"

These programs are already covered by copyright, and lots of people have made lots of money with this protection.

Copyright protects the code, patents protect the end result of the code. Take Amazons famous "double click" patent. The idea behind it is not to protect the code, its to stop anyone writing their own code that could replicate that behaviour.

Again, copyright.

Ignoring your nationalistic fervor, it is not only European companies that will patent in Europe. Us companies along with the rest of the world will. At the moment a US patent means nothing here (in this context), so companies with a patent in the US will patent here too.

So all US software contains code only written in the US? This may surprise, say, India for example.

This is a very important crossroads, I think you should do some more research before dismissing it out of hand. As for me, I'm off on holiday now, got no more time to hang around here. Bye!

Wow, people like that really do exist!

[robot voice]The security off our nation at any and all costs come first. [/robot voice]

Let me guess, stars and stripes above the bed and fifty more on your front lawn? Probably Texan. Several guns in a glass cabinet with a picture of charlton heston hanging over it.

Okay, okay. I'm being an ass but can you blame me? Its an attitude like that that forces visitors to your country to have their fingerprints taken and retina scanned. I've never had that happen to me before in my life. First question at customs - "Are you a member of any terrorist organisation?". Wow, thats gonna catch the highjackers out isnt it? There is more to life than the security of the united states and if you focus on one thing too much you'll notice everything else just sliding away....

And are you willing to give the same right to ensure the security of their nation at any and all costs to other nations of the world also? Many of them see US as a real threat. Afterall it's the only nation in the world that has ever actually used nuclear weapons against civilians. Twice.