New ideas?

["Jacek Gancarson Eurofresh" <jacek.gancarson@eurofresh.se>]

I have observed a positive impact of  EP voting or some positive position
taking from the part of Microsoft, Nokia and New
York Times:

European Union is preparing to enact sweeping intellectual property law that
critics say is ill conceived and tilted heavily in favor of copyright and
patent holders; proposal will go far beyond existing laws in Europe and US
by classifying copyright violations and patent infringements, even some
unwitting ones, as crimes punishable by prison terms; Frits Bolkestein,
Europe's commissioner for internal markets, says criminal penalties are
necessary because issue of counterfeiting is becoming overwhelming in
importance; music, film and computer software industries have been pressing
for toughest law possible, and opposition is now being voiced by Nokia, BT
Group and even Microsoft, itself major victim of software piracy; photos (M)
European Union is preparing to enact sweeping intellectual property law that
critics say is ill conceived and tilted heavily in favor of copyright and
patent holders; proposal will go far beyond existing laws in Europe and US
by classifying copyright violations and patent infringements, even some
unwitting ones, as crimes punishable by prison terms; Frits Bolkestein,
Europe's commissioner for internal markets, says criminal penalties are
necessary because issue of counterfeiting is becoming overwhelming in
importance; music, film and computer software industries have been pressing
for toughest law possible, and opposition is now being voiced by Nokia, BT
Group and even Microsoft, itself major victim of software piracy; photos (M)

It shows somehow danger, oneside political atitude focused on prestige and
will rather than on competence.

All the three companies point instead that piratcopying is diffrent from
compatibility and interoperability decoding, so that patent infrigment is
not a crime here. It is a very good improvment!
http://computersweden.idg.se/ArticlePages/200310/22/20031022085513_CS451/200
31022085513_CS451.dbp.asp

On the other hand complex business IT-system supliers are on the way up:
http://computersweden.idg.se/ArticlePages/200310/28/20031028152645_CS275/200
31028152645_CS275.dbp.asp
This product nisch is typical technology-push and these IT-systems are
surely heavy patented in US.

Generally I feel that this voting had big influence on the market as IT
press in Sweden (CS) is now plenty of information and lobbying articles from
bigest IT-businesses.

Best regards
Jacek Gancarson