VoIP / Software Patents in Europe

[Seth Johnson <>]

Hello,

While the FCC tries to articulate a rational policy regarding
"IP-enabled services" and "information services," they fail to
adequately bear in mind exclusive rights policies like copyright
and patents (except if you consider the notorious broadcast
flag).  But the fact is, while they couch issues in terms of
regulation or deregulation, as long as Congress fails to
articulate the kind of exclusive rights policy that's right for
the digital age, deregulation results in opening things up for
regulation by other means.

While this area might not seem specifically on topic, it is very
important that those who are concerned about Internet
architecture stay on top of copyright and patent policy
developments.  One of the most important considerations for the
Internet is the freedom to innovate at the application layer.
While the W3C has taken a strong position against patented
Internet protocols, other bodies have taken a different
approach.

Anyway, if you have any concerns regarding the issues related to
overextended notions of copyright and patents being applied to
computers and the Internet, then you'll probably like to know
that the next two weeks are critical.

Until September 24, there will be concerted action taking place
to stop an attempt by the European Union Council to legalize
patents on software in Europe, where the written law has said
they are not legal since the 1970's.  If we manage to stop this
initiative, this could easily be the big breakthrough that
changes things for copyright and patent policy in the digital
age, the moment when finally the real implications of ubiquitous
computers, connectivity, and code start getting the recognition
and clueful treatment they need.

If you believe that software should not be patentable, then read
the following and please join in. There's a very good short
introduction link describing the situation below.  Americans can
send postcards and letters to key people in their choice of
country, explaining that based on our experience, software
patents don't make sense.


Seth Johnson



Urgent Call to Action:
----------------------

Call European Governments to Withdraw Support for the EU
Council's Software Patents Directive

Mobilize Now to Prevent Software from Becoming Patentable in
Europe

  - Please help conduct this action in your country:
    http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrConsSend0406En
  - Please help us identify and contact concerned constituencies
    to join the campaign. Send an email to:
    

  - Please forward this alert to any concerned constituencies you
    know

Software is presently not patentable under European law, but they
are about to overturn that law.  They need people to send an
Urgent Call document and postcards to European legislators.  If
you are American, you can send a note about the adverse effects
of software patents.  See the FFII Alert below.  A quick
introduction to the situation is at:
http://kwiki.ffii.org/ShortIntroEn

Online outreach is conducted on Mondays via IRC at 21:00 CEST
(Paris/Munich time) on #bxl-ffii at irc.debian.org.  Please send
an email to 

 and join in!

Seth Johnson


The FFII Alert follows:


FFII: EU Software Patents in the Council: Status 

What's Happening:
-----------------

We need to act now to tell our representatives not to support the
EU Council's attempts to overturn the European law under which
software is not patentable: http://kwiki.ffii.org/ShortIntroEn

Please tell your representatives to withdraw support for the EU
Council's Software Patents Directive, or we may have to live with
the results of this decision for a very long time.

  - Please send the Urgent Call to your representatives:
    http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrConsSend0406En
  
  - Please send postcards to your representatives:
    http://kwiki.ffii.org/Postkard0407En

Personal contacts make all the difference. We need MPs and MEPs
and Ministers who deal with technology and innovation to receive
multiple postcards and Urgent Call letters from their
constituents.  Translations of the Urgent Call, sample postcards
and Contact addresses are available for many countries at the
above links.  If you don't find the information for your country,
please add it.

Feedback and Pointers:
----------------------

We conduct volunteer outreach via IRC every Monday night on
#bxl-ffii at irc.debian.org.  You are welcome to come in at other
times too. Web interface at: http://bxl-ffii.miernik.ctnet.pl

Send an e-mail to 

 with this form filled out to
register for the following actions:

[ ] I am interested in autumn camp (17-20 Sept 2004) in Markelo,
    NL http://kwiki.ffii.org/Ffiinl0409En
[ ] I cannot make it to the autumn camp 2004,
    but I am interested in a similar event near [______]
    (indicate a city >100000 inhabitants)
[ ] I am interested in the Brussels conference, November
    http://plone.ffii.org/events/2004/test
[ ] I would like to stay at Brussels at another time
    (we may try to help to arrange something)

---

For regional activities (e.g. meeting other supporters in your
area of Europe), contact regio-help at ffii org.  Regional
politicians often make a crucial difference.

For donations, see http://www.ffii.org/assoc/financ/

Best Regards,



---

Activity Status:

  - Volunteers in the Netherlands Convinced the Dutch Parliament
    to Withdraw Support for the Directive:
    http://kwiki.ffii.org/NlMot040701En
  - 48 Volunteers have Sent 217 Urgent Calls to 130 Recipients in
    11 Countries Since July 1 : http:LtrConsSend0406En
  - 8 Volunteers have Sent 19 Postcards to 18 Recipients in 8
    Countries Since August 21: http:PostkardSend0407En

Related News: http://kwiki.ffii.org/SwpatcninoEn


-- 

[CC] Counter-copyright: http://realmeasures.dyndns.org/cc

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