From coriordan@vorcha.compsoc.com Mon Aug 03 18:02:29 2009 Envelope-to: esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org Received: from [193.120.123.130] (port=39943 helo=vorcha.compsoc.com) by campaigns.fsf.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1MY5bx-0006Vv-0c for esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org; Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:02:29 -0400 Received: by vorcha.compsoc.com (Postfix, from userid 950) id A3AC947EC8; Mon, 3 Aug 2009 23:13:36 +0100 (IST) To: esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org From: Ciaran O'Riordan Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:13:36 +0100 Message-ID: <9lhbwoo8a7.fsf@vorcha.compsoc.com> User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.2 (gnu/linux) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Subject: [Esp-action-alert] swpat.org: Listing ALL arguments against software patents X-BeenThere: esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.9 Precedence: list List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:02:29 -0000 Dear ESP supporter, This week I'd like help with a big task. I'd like to make a list of *all* the arguments against software patents. http://en.swpat.org/wiki/Arguments I've started the page off with a few suggestions, but I'd really like to hear what you don't like about swpats, and I'd like to hear the arguments in your words. This could get messy, but that's fine. I have wellies. This will be useful groundwork for specific campaigns such as Bilski-II, New Zealand's Patents Bill, and maybe India's patents manual and other current issues. I've start listing current issues here: http://en.swpat.org/wiki/Current_opportunities_and_dangers Meanwhile, I've gotten helpful input about the situation in India, and I'll be continuing to work on that too this week: http://en.swpat.org/wiki/India Thanks. --=20 Ciar=E1n O'Riordan, Executive Director, End Software Patents +32 487 64 17 54 esp@endsoftwarepatents.org ESP: http://www.EndSoftwarePatents.org Donate: http://endsoftpatents.org/donate List: http://campaigns.fsf.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/esp-action-alert From coriordan@vorcha.compsoc.com Fri Aug 14 13:30:21 2009 Envelope-to: esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org Received: from [193.120.123.130] (port=56404 helo=vorcha.compsoc.com) by campaigns.fsf.org with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1Mc0bd-0004q1-27 for esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org; Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:30:21 -0400 Received: by vorcha.compsoc.com (Postfix, from userid 950) id 0447D479EC; Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:41:42 +0100 (IST) To: esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org From: Ciaran O'Riordan Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:41:42 +0100 Message-ID: <9l4osa5m3t.fsf@vorcha.compsoc.com> User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.2 (gnu/linux) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Subject: [Esp-action-alert] swpat.org: XML patent info sought X-BeenThere: esp-action-alert@campaigns.fsf.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.9 Precedence: list List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:30:21 -0000 This week we saw one holder of annoying XML patents lose an appeal to another: Microsoft was ordered to stop distributing their word processor, and to pay $290 million to i4i inc. Microsoft have 60 days to (re-)appeal: http://en.swpat.org/wiki/I4i_v._Microsoft So even the software companies with the biggest budgets and legal teams can't avoid infringing software patents. This highlights how difficult and uncertain software development is when software ideas are patentable. It also shows the injustice that a large project with many thousands of ideas can be prohibited because of a single patented idea. Patents on reading file formats are particularly harmful since if you want to write compatible software (which users want), avoiding the patented idea might be impossible. This week I'm hoping to collect information about all sorts of patents on XML, includings the i4i patent, Microsoft's XML patents in the USA and in New Zealand, and all others: http://en.swpat.org/wiki/XML_patents General update: en.swpat.org now has 210 pages. Other pages that have been expanded recently include: http://en.swpat.org/wiki/Countries_and_regions http://en.swpat.org/wiki/Litigation_and_specific_patents http://en.swpat.org/wiki/Bilski_v._Doll All contributions would be helpful. Thanks. --=20 Ciar=E1n O'Riordan, Executive Director, End Software Patents +32 487 64 17 54 esp@endsoftwarepatents.org ESP: http://www.EndSoftwarePatents.org Donate: http://endsoftpatents.org/donate List: http://campaigns.fsf.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/esp-action-alert