Campaign for ethical patents
The patent industry is growing powerful by changing the rules, so that more and more areas can be patented. It happened in the US, and it's happening here in Europe. Software, genes, ways of doing business. Maybe it doesn't matter that many things - from mobile phones and MP3 players to breast-cancer tests and essential medicines - cost more, because of patents. Maybe it doesn't matter that laws aren't made by parliaments anymore, but by unelected officials who look after their own vested interests.
Help the FFII make a difference, sign their petition at ethipat.org!
Note: if you're one of those who want to get rid of patents completely, please consider that less, less harmful patents are at least a step in the right direction.
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Signed, and I'll be putting
Signed, and I'll be putting up the posters they gave us at FOSDEM around town shortly.
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Unfortunately my bag ate my
Unfortunately my bag ate my posters, they're too damaged to put up anywhere
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Signed. Thanks.
Signed. Thanks.
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Patents in general
That's a good point about patents in general. Allowing patents are good if it provides an overall benefit to society. Some other types of patents probably do, as they provide an incentive for new inventions to be published for the benefit of the public, without restricting their action very much. Software idea patents, however, clearly don't provide a public benefit, as they restrict normal computer users considerably, and aren't necessary for innovation to occur in software. In fact, they generally hinder innovation.
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