[Patents] zdnet: swpat threat to future of gnu/linux

[phm@a2e.de (PILCH Hartmut)]

http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2835454,00.html

Indeed they use the term "GNU/Linux" in the title, and they conclude by
describing an often forgotten problem:

| The threat of software patents
|
| Another danger looming on the horizon for Linux--in Europe, at
| least--is the potential introduction of software patents. Europe is
| moving to push its patent laws into line with those of the U.S., which
| allow companies to patent not only physical hardware, but also
| software processes.
|
| While some European companies argue that patents are necessary here to
| allow European companies to compete with the U.S., many software
| developers believe they could stifle competition by making it easier
| for big, patent-owning companies to sue start-ups.
|
| In Europe software is currently protected by copyright, which prevents
| programmers from copying actual software code, but gives them more
| freedom in the processes that their software carries out. Patents
| would allow companies to sue if a competitor's software was
| functionally similar to theirs, regardless of the underlying code.
|
| The danger is particularly great for open-source developers, who are
| obliged to make their source code freely available. "With Linux you
| can look at the source code, so there's more of a chance to get in
| trouble," said le Marois.

-- 
Hartmut Pilch                                         http://phm.ffii.org/
Protecting Innovation against Patent Inflation      http://swpat.ffii.org/
100000 signatures against software patents      http://www.noepatents.org/