No software patents in Europe

[Knome_fan]

Great news from the European Parliament.
The European Parliament just voted with a great majority against software patents in Europe.

http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/technologie/0,1518,363904,00.html (only German, I'm sorry)

Just let me say:
Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!! :grin:

[nocturn]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hura!

[codejunkie]

YES YES and Woohoo!!!

[tread]

Here's a link to an English article (http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?Feed=AP&Date=20050706&ID=4905885)

Good news!

[Grimmy]

http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/technologie/0,1518,363904,00.html (only German, I'm sorry)

Here is the story from Reuters in English:

http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2005-07-06T103013Z_01_BAN637779_RTRIDST_0_OZABS-TECH-EU-PATENTING-20050706.XML


STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European Parliament voted to throw out a controversial EU bill to harmonise the patenting of software-related inventions on Wednesday after lawmakers said it pleased nobody in its present form.

The assembly voted by 648 to 14 with 18 abstentions to reject the law and stop a version of the legislation, already approved by the European Union's 25 member states, from becoming law.

The European Commission which drafted the bill said it respected the decision and that it would not put forward any new proposed legislation in this area.

The bill has polarised the technology industry, with large firms like Microsoft, Nokia and Siemens saying the changes sought by the EU assembly would leave products open to copycat versions from China and elsewhere.

Supporters of open-source or free software had welcomed the changes sought by some EU lawmakers to limit what types of inventions can be patented.

[kleeman]

Yes good news indeed although I don't think the fight is over yet! More good news from Europe: The city of Vienna chose Debian KDE for their desktops. They are calling it Wienux (Wien=Vienna).

[Lord Illidan]

Hurrah!!

[sapo]

Brazil is trying something similar.. but we still lack courage to aprove something as radical as this ](*,)

[AntiDragon]

This is fantastic news, especially when I read about all the patent suits that go on in the US (I feel for you, guys!). :grin:

[Kyral]

No patents in Europe?! SCORE!! Europe here I come!!!

I can see a new slogan for the EU: European Union, the Open Source version of the United States

[AntiDragon]

Best bits are how big the majority was and how they've decided not to put forward a replacement proposal. "human knowledge can't be patented" said one of the MEPs. :smile:

I think the most we were hoping for were that it would pass but with the ammendments that were proposed. :grin:

[void_false]

That's just great! Perfect reason to get drunk today. \\:D/

[Kvark]

Great news! :)

[primeirocrime]

this is very good indeed, feel much better without the noose arround the neck. I was quite surprised by the amount of people saying no to it.

[bin]

In a world gone mad - a little ray of hope!

in light

bin \\:D/ =D>

[SS2]

Heh, my first post in here.

And such good news that really saved my evening today. *HURRA*

Greets

[brim4brim]

I can't believe this got through! I mean it's brillant for everyone but I expected the politicians to lack the understanding of the impact it was going to have. I signed up to the petitions or whatever that were going round but this has actually blown my mind that politicians from different countries actually made a good decision.

This news also makes me wonder why there's no exploding smiley to represent the news blowing my mind.

[mtron]

jea! these are really good news for us europeans, and just to complete the coverage 648 MEP (Members of European Parliament) voted against the "Software Patents law" 14 voted in for it and 18 did not participate in the vote.

It is a great success for democracy in the European Parliament, and showed that the lobbying from the companies (like Microsoft and Nokia) on the level of the European Council and commission were not stronger than the public campaign against it!

Thanks to all the Members of the European Parliament, and to the guys of the Free Software Foundation Europe, you did a great job!

Btw: it was the only the 3rd time since the existence of the EP, that it rejected a compromise offer from the Commission (the eu government), so really a huge success!

[sonny]

At last... some good news for us.

[AntiDragon]

This news also makes me wonder why there's no exploding smiley to represent the news blowing my mind.

Here ya go :)

http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/edoom/split_spawn.gif

[Cerbz]

Wo0t!! Good news for everyone in europe! :smile: :smile: made my day :D

[jazzabelle]

Huzzah! Excellent news! :)

[N'Jal]

hell yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry but I've signed petition after petition to keep this out. If beer tasted nice i would get drunk, but it tastes crap so sober as always. :D

[brim4brim]

Here ya go :)

http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/edoom/split_spawn.gif

Thanks I needed that, feel better now.

Anyway after reading the article fully the decision stops an EU wide s/w patent support but what about country by country. Are we going to have to fight lots of little battles to kill off the remaining opposition after the initial battle.

I mean I don't really see it croping up in each country now as it would be such a disadvantage for one country to have it given most of the others won't have it for attracting business but I'd like to see what others think or if I'm right at all on the country by country thing being a possability.

[rubinstein]

I can't believe this got through! I mean it's brillant for everyone but I expected the politicians to lack the understanding of the impact it was going to have. I signed up to the petitions or whatever that were going round but this has actually blown my mind that politicians from different countries actually made a good decision.
One news source I read today said that it was one of the biggest lobby battles ever in the European Union, so I think the politicians had a LOT of information, from the pro- but also from the anti-s/w-patents groups. But what counts is that they voted the right way :-)

rubinstein

[rubinstein]

hell yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry but I've signed petition after petition to keep this out. If beer tasted nice i would get drunk, but it tastes crap so sober as always. :D
I also don't like beer, but I'm afraid I like all other alcoholic beverages ;-)

[primeirocrime]

I think this sheds some light over what goes next.

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050706113609571

[Sye d'Burns]

I also don't like beer, but I'm afraid I like all other alcoholic beverages ;-)
Good news indeed! :)

[Big Venus]

This is all good and all,

but what about us in the US... It doesn't really have any impact on us here does it, be honest?

[Spoofhound]

Anyway after reading the article fully the decision stops an EU wide s/w patent support but what about country by country. Are we going to have to fight lots of little battles to kill off the remaining opposition after the initial battle.


This is an important point. The politicians voted against having a law that was flawed or at best, unclear and difficult to police. Basically the issue remains unclear, and countries will be able to interpret the situation as they need. I reckon that this is just the first skirmish - the war hasn't started yet. But at least the commission has said they won't draft a new proposal.

[aragorn2909]

This is all good and all,

but what about us in the US... It doesn't really have any impact on us here does it, be honest?

On the contrary, this has the potential to have a huge impact in not just the US, but North America. What has to happen, however, is the US citizenry have to get behind this like the Europeans did.

Excellent job and congratulations!

[Spoofhound]

This is all good and all,

but what about us in the US... It doesn't really have any impact on us here does it, be honest?

A european law doesn't have much impact maybe - but the concept does. I guess it depends on which side of the innovation line you stand (simplistic view)

having software patents stimulates innovation: because those who come up with new, innovative ideas will have their ideas protected by law, and therefore they will be encouraged to be innovative

or

not having software patents stimuates innovation: because then big companies with money will not be able to steal your ideas and keep them for themselves by patenting them

Its interesting that facilitating innovation is at the heart of both sides' arguments

[MetalMusicAddict]

EU here I come. ;)

[Kvark]

...but what to expect next... Thats a good question.

I think it depends on if the open source community and the many small propriarity software companies can make more money together then the few big propriarity software companies make. Whichever is more profitable will be favoured in the long run. Money talks.

Thats the biggest weakness of the open source community. It needs better bussiness models then "support pays for development" before it can become a powerful alternative to the dominating companies.

[benplaut]

why do i have to be living in the US?

with only 12 linux users on this island :-x

[BWF89]

This is great.

Heres the link to the open source version of the story:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/European_Parliament_rejects_software_patents

[jeremy]

It is the best news I have heard in a long time! It is nice when politicians listen to the people that the are supposed to represent.

[Teroedni]

Great \\:D/
I love open source
In The one month i used linux i have learnt more than the 2 years i was using Microsoft Windows

:razz:

[Kimm]

This is about the best news I have ever got in my entire life (not a word! xD)
I almost feel like crying


In The one month i used linux i have learnt more than the 2 years i was using Microsoft Windows


in my 3 years using Linux I have learned more then my 14 years of using windows! :D


with only 12 linux users on this island


To bad, I think I have around 5-6 registerd linux users in my city, one of them is in my class! ^^

[JPatrick]

I'm glad I live in Europe :)

[primeirocrime]

why do i have to be living in the US?

with only 12 linux users on this island :-x


can't believe that in Hawai there are only 12 people running gnu/linux... well but you are better of than the guys at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealand