[Patents] Berlin Conference: FFII Calls for Help

[PILCH Hartmut phm@a2e.de]

lynx -dump http://swpat.ffii.org/penmi/bmwi-20000518/indexen.html
                                 ----------------------------------------
                                                                         
        Berlin Conference on Economic Effects of Software Patenting
                           How You can Help
                                      
   The German Ministery of Economics is convening a public conference to
   investigate the economic impact of software patentability on May 18 in
                                  Berlin.
                                      
   The [5]Association for the Promotion of a Free Informational
   Infrastructure and the [6]sponsors of its [7]Software Patent Workgroup
   are invited. We will play an active role in this [8]conference.
   
   The FFII is preparing to argue the case against the expansion of the
   European patent system into more and more upstream informational
   realms. This conference is a rare chance. It must become a success for
   all those who have nothing to gain from informational monopolism. You
   can contribute in several ways.
   
What you can do

* [ in Germany only: ] Attend the conference 

   The conference is public, but participants should register and submit
   a short statement to the host. Contact us. We have also reserved some
   hotel beds in Berlin.  
   
* [ in Germany only: ] Get others to participate

   This is a first and maybe last opportunity for German programmers and
   executives to inform themselves and voice their opinions about some
   thorny issues which may decide their fate tomorrow. Please speak to
   people within your realm of influence. Bring them into contact with
   us, so that we may help in drafting statements and cooperate in
   preparing the conference.
   
* [ everywhere: ] Help put together a Documentation CD

   The FFII is putting together a [15]documentation (printed and on CD)
   for the conference. We need to ask many publishers for copying
   permissions and some important texts must be gathered from non-digital
   media. This work is done via a [16]publically accessible mailing list
   with daily progress reports by the project leader, Intevation GmbH. There 
is a
   lot to do for everybody, and even occasional small advice can help.
   
   The FFII is in the lucky position that it can offer some compensation
   on a per hour basis for work being done, thanks to its corporate
   Sponsors.
   
Background of the Conference

   The European Patent Organisations and the EU Commission are planning
   to remove all obstacles to software patentability from European patent
   law.
   
   This is the first time that a governmental body in Europe is taking a
   closer look at the socio-economic effects of this proposed change.
   
   The German governement is a member state of the European Patent
   Convention therefore entitled to deny its approval to any change of
   this convention. If it denies its approval, "computer programs" will
   remain on the list of exceptions to patentability. If not, the way to
   full enforcement of software patent claims will be paved later this
   year.
   
   The FFII fears that software patentability will favor proprietary
   standards, reinforce monopolistic tendencies, slow down the rate of
   software innovation and damage small to medium size software
   companies.
   
   In a few months an avalanche of patent ligitation and extorsion
   letters may roll over us, and you may no longer dare to publish your
   source code without first consulting with a laywer. And it will then
   be too late to do anything about it.
   
   So let's act now. Let's make the Berlin Conference a great success.
   
Signed by

                        Markus Fleck <fleck@gnu.org>
         Joerg Freudenberger <Joerg.Freudenberger@nbg9.siemens.de>
                        Hartmut Pilch <phm@ffii.org>
                     Bernhard Reiter <breiter@ffii.org>
                         Arnim Rupp <rupp@ffii.org>
                                      
   on behalf of the FFII
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
    http://swpat.ffii.org/penmi/bmwi-20000518/indexen.html
    2000-05-03 PILCH Hartmut
    

References


   4. http://swpat.ffii.org/langtxten.html
   5. http://www.ffii.org/indexen.html
   6. http://swpat.ffii.org/sarji/indexde.html
   7. http://swpat.ffii.org/ag/indexde.html
   8. http://www.sicherheit-im-internet.de/news/news.php3?id=125
  15. http://swpat.ffii.org/links/doku/indexen.html
  16. http://ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/swpatdoku/