Re: Re(2): [Patents] We are under the threat of a lawsuit : looking for help

[Bernard Lang <Bernard.Lang@inria.fr>]

On Tue, May 04, 2004 at 03:10:40PM +0200, Sylvain Perchaud wrote:
> Le lundi 3 mai 2004, à 16:35, Bernard Lang a écrit:
> 
> >you are selling in the USA ?
> 
> Yes, but our office is based in Ottawa, Canada.
> We have an OEM contract with Apple.
> 

this seems like a good opportunity to send yet another letter to the
people preparing the directive ...
  asking them whether you should drop your business right now ...
and all the shareware authors.

  ... since this will be common in Europe if the directive passes.

or good time for a press release ...  that could be picked up by some
papers:

   European SMEs soon to be attacked with dormant patents

   The european prince is about to kiss the sleeping beauty of US
patents, still dormant in Europe because not really legal.  But what
the commission present as a princess is a witch, who is going to kill
our SMEs.  European shareware is under attack in the USA with patents
xxx.  But our business in Europe is still protected.
  If software patenting is legalized, .... our shareware business is
dead everywhere.  ....  etc...
  SMEs cannot afford the legal fees, risk and others costs associated
with patents search for prior arts, risk of infringement or litigation
...


Bernard

-- 
         Non aux Brevets Logiciels  -  No to Software Patents
           SIGNEZ    http://petition.eurolinux.org/    SIGN

Bernard.Lang@inria.fr             ,_  /\o    \o/    Tel  +33 1 3963 5644
http://pauillac.inria.fr/~lang/  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  Fax  +33 1 3963 5469
            INRIA / B.P. 105 / 78153 Le Chesnay CEDEX / France
         Je n'exprime que mon opinion - I express only my opinion
                 CAGED BEHIND WINDOWS or FREE WITH LINUX