Re: [Fsfe-uk] Stalls at Marxism 2003

[Mike Taylor]

> Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2003 14:50:41 +0100
> From: Timothy Baldwin <address@hidden>
> 
> > Materials we should have:
> >
> > A paper petition against Software Patents (can anyone clarify what
> > "business methods" are, and how broad the AFFS's anti-patent
> > position is?)
> 
> No answers, so I'll stick to software patents.

Seems right to me -- after all, we are the AFF_S_.

> I will write a draft covering the following points:
> 
> 1. Patents are a form of interlectual property

A. Typo: that's "intellectual", of course.
B. More important, I am not convinced this is worth saying, as it
   seems to me only to muddy the waters.  Stallman argues convincingly
   (to my mind) that the whole concept of "intellectual property" is
   an unhelpful one, muddying as it does several very different
   concepts (patents, copyright, trademarks, etc.)
   See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#IntellectualProperty

> 2. Software patents are accumalate power in the hands of big business
                               ^ "accumUlate".
> 3. Software patents infringe the freedom to write comuputer software.
> 4. Software patents are usually bariers to free software devlopment.

These seem like much more pertinent arguments to me.  You might like
to add 5. Software patents discourage competition.

> Some examples of non-commerical free software to distribute (Knoppix
> etc).

I vaguely remember someone saying that Knoppix is not completly free.
I have no idea who said it or whether it's true, but it's probably
worth investigating.

> A leaflet containing address of useful websites:
> 
>   This mailing list.
>   Websites of the AFFS, FSFE, and the FSF

... a list which makes me wonder whether we should be called FSFUK.

 _/|_    _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor  <address@hidden>  http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
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