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From: Norbert Bollow <nb@cisto.com>
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In-reply-to: <E199Pz3-0006fU-00@fencepost.gnu.org> (message from Richard
	Stallman on Sat, 26 Apr 2003 09:44:53 -0400)
Subject: Re: [Patents] The politics of software over-protection -- moving
 forward..
References: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0304251818250.10329-100000@querty.oas.a2e.de> <E199Pz3-0006fU-00@fencepost.gnu.org>
Message-Id: <20030426181838.A8FB32E2A3@quill.cisto.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 20:18:38 +0200 (CEST)
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Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:

> When Microsoft sets out to make a patented technique the standard, it
> can use a narrow patent as easily as a broad patent.

Precisely this is happening with the higher-level .NET class
library APIs.  That is a huge threat with potentially disastrous
consequences unless we manage to quickly enough create a competing
truly free class library API and establish that as the de-facto
standard.  (Please consider helping us DotGNU hackers with achieving
this goal - we need additional manpower in order to do what we need
to do.) 

The only way to prevent this kind of emergency from happening
over and over again is political action to get rid of software
patents totally.  Well, theoretically it would be good enough to
have a patent law system that allows GPL'd Free Software to
implement anything regardless of any patents, but I'm afraid that
the influence of lobbyists could too easily render any legal
definition of "Free Software" GPL-incompatible, so that won't work.

Get rid of software patents completely - that's the only realistically
achievable political solution.

Greetings, Norbert.

-- 
Founder & Steering Committee member of http://gnu.org/projects/dotgnu/
Free Software Business Strategy Guide   --->  http://FreeStrategy.info
Norbert Bollow, Weidlistr.18, CH-8624 Gruet (near Zurich, Switzerland)
Tel +41 1 972 20 59        Fax +41 1 972 20 69       http://norbert.ch

