[Patents] AGAINST PATENTS - from Critto from Poland

[Krzysztof Sobolewski critto@proterians.net]

Hello, 
let me introduce myself.
My name is Krzysztof (Christopher) "Critto" Sobolewski,
and I live in Poland, my beloved homeland.
  I'm a programmer since many years; I write programs in C++, sometimes 
in ReXX (and I'm learning Perl), but in the past I've been programming 
in Pascal, Basic and some other languages (I've even written my own, 
called KML, similiar to macroassembler and dedicated to math formulas).
  Please read my letter and have patience... And tell me what do you 
think... I would be very pleased of any discussion on the topics 
described by me. And, please have mercy for my terrible English,
which is NOT my national language, and I'm on intermediate level...

  I've been shocked when first time I've read about the software 
patents - and the REAL face of PATENT SYSTEM; till that recent moment, 
I've been thinking that patents are something harmless, like 
copyrights - I couldn't even realize that one patents IDEAS. 
(thanx LPF and FreePatents for opening my eyes!).
  I realize that problem is grave - and that some groups of lawyers, 
businesspeople and programmers want to take our freedom away - and 
make us unemployed, and turn us into the servants of overwhelming
giga-companies.
  
  Maybe the patent system is a relict of the past ? Maybe it should 
be abolished, and non-IT patents should be turned in something like 
copyrights ? I understand that, long ago, patents were necessary - 
where there were few real inventors, and hundreds of crooks who wanted 
to overtake the other's invention and gain the profits and fame for 
themselves; now, when many thousands of inventions are being made
a year, the only thing patent system does is blocking some of the 
inventors - it is no useful anymore...

  To gain public awareness about arising problems with patent
system, I PROPOSE THE CAMPAIGN - similiar to "BLUE RIBBON CAMPAIGN",
that you've must hear or read about (it's homepage is
www.eff.org/blueribbon.html) - the CAMPAIGN TO ABOLISH THE PATENTS
IN SOFTWARE AND IT (and, as a long-run aim, to abolish patent system 
as whole as I've written before). WE MUST RAISE THE PUBLIC AWARENESS; 
we must treat that problem as seriously, as grave it is - it is very 
grave. WE, INFORmaticians, ITs, programmers, network admins, internet 
providers, and, more and more software companies, which existence is 
threatend to death by software patents, should ORGANIZE AGAINST PATENT
SYSTEM. Working some time in Public Relations (PR) I know the rules 
how to TALK TO BE LISTENED, how to GIVE IDEAS THAT CAN'T BE TURNED 
DOWN - and the SPEECHES, WHICH MAKE ANYBODY HEARING TO AWARE; 
  And have some proposals - knowing that patent numbers are
beginning on "#", i have some:
    #STOP_PATENT_MADNESS
    #NO_MORE_SOFTWARE_PATENTS
    #CEASE_THAT_PATENT_STUPIDITY

 What do you think of creating banners with those slogans, and
to put them on www pages ? We could even 'take' some ribbon for
anti-IT patent campaign... Having licenses, we could protest
against IT-patents using patented software - it is similiar to
protesting against Microsoft's monopoly using the Microsoft
Word(R) or some other Microsoft's software - and giving information
about that.

  We should show the moral problem of patenting software: 
the MONOPOLY; legalization of monopoly, that patents are at all;
the FACT, that with patents, monopoly of companies like Microsoft
would be legal, and any attempt to abolish them would be treated
as the crime.

  One may say that "Patenting anything ? Hyper-domination ? Oh, it 
is the way capitalist societies are" - but it is NOT true; the essential 
fundation of capitalist society is FREEDOM - and among that broad 
definition there is a FREEDOM IN PARTICIPATION IN THE MARKET -
without that freedom, there is no capitalist, but FEUDAL system.
  One may also say that "if patents are payable, why abolish them ?"
Looking into human history, I'm sure that slavary on the 
South of USA had to be very payable to the plantators; but,
does it mean however, that it was okay ? 

  "Generic" citizen may even no see the difference; but I think
we are facing the new kind of TOTALITARIAN REGIME- something
like the nightmares described in many cyberpunk; new form of
slavary. We must show the society, that anyone copes better without
software patents; and that the future of the world depends on
the development of IT - and patents cease that development.

  America has won the liberty; America has created the social
and economic liberty for the rest of the world (would it be 
patented ?;->>) - now America must turn to more liberty again.

  But I love my Europe; I think that we, Europeans, should stay
MORE INDEPENDENT from USA; we SHOULD CREATE "European Silicon
Valley" - maybe in Netherlands ? And then we could neglect American
patent problems, treating them as the "internal affairs of USA".
  And that's all this time; sorry if it was too long (or too short).
Please e-mail to the group what do you think... 
   Yours
     Christopher "Critto"
*****************************************************************
            Krzysztof Kazimierz "Critto" Sobolewski
e-mail:critto@proterians.net
www:http://proterians.net/~critto
telefon:301-72-50
adres:ul. Krosna 32/2, 80-857 Gdansk
  having patents: #STOP_PATENT_MADNESS
                  #CEASE_PATENT_STUPIDITY
                  #LET_THE_SOFTWARE_MARKET_SURVIVE
*****************************************************************     

PS. Europe, UNITE!!!
PS.1 Microsoft ad Microsoft Word are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
PS.2 FREEDOM SHALL WIN!!!
PS.3 I have NOTHING TO DO with Proterians company, except havin
     e-mail account and www pages there