Europeans To Vote On Software Patents

Published: 6 July 2005 y., Wednesday

A Wednesday session of the European Parliament will vote on 60 amendments, beginning a long and drawn out process to determine the status of software patents.
   Demonstrators from across Europe are converging on Strasbourg, Germany to influence a European Parliament vote, in what's likely to be a long and drawn out process to determine the status of software patents.
The vote will take place Wednesday, but most observers expect the debate to continue for months. The vote isn't expected to be a straight up or down affair, as some 60 amendments are expected to come to the floor.

There are three likely scenarios, explained Florian Mueller, campaign manager of Nosoftwarepatents.com. They are: an absolute majority vote could end the effort to abolish or reduce software patents, amendments by parliament would insure that the process continues through various EU bodies, or a failure to make amendments by parliament could mean the present software patent process could become law.

Mueller said the overall goal of his organization, which has heavy representation from open source backers, is to eliminate software patents. "But I'm not against patents on technical inventions in a field of natural science even if software is part of that," he said.

On the opposing side are some large firms with hefty patent portfolios; they favor software patents and want little change in the existing European patent laws. Although Microsoft isn't front and center in the debate, the whole issue of software patents revolves to a large extent around the software colossus and its growing patent portfolio. 

Šaltinis: informationweek.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

European Payments Council issues report about ATM anti-skimming, security tips

According to the council's report, ATM-skimming fraud, which involves illicitly copying ATM card information stored on magnetic stripes, is increasing in Europe. more »

HP Brings First All-in-One Touch-enabled Desktop Technology to Business Customers

Building on the success of the recent HP TouchSmart PC for the home, HP today introduced the market’s first all-in-one, touch-enabled desktop PC for businesses. more »

Microsoft’s Ballmer Announces Availability of Windows 7 Beta

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer announced the beta availability of the Windows 7 operating system as well as the availability of the latest version of the Windows Live, a suite of personal communications services and applications. more »

Wincor World '09 to focus on cash, deposits, self-service

Cash-cycle management, branch optimization, sales/marketing consultation and automation, automated checkout and managed services are expected highlights for January's Wincor World 2009. more »

Christa Prets on media literacy in a digital world

We all need to better understand the media we are touched by daily, especially the young, says Austrian Socialist Christa Prets. MEPs backed her report on “media literacy in a digital world” on Tuesday. more »

RSS: another way of keeping up-to-date with parliament

Since October, readers of the European Parliament's web pages have had access to RSS, which allows them to keep up-to-date with what is going on via a free subscription. more »

Fox Selects Motorola For Transition To All HD

Fox and Motorola collaboration results in first all-HD programming distribution strategy. more »

Wincor Nixdorf installs cash management technology at Shell service stations nationwide

Wincor Nixdorf has won a contract to integrate its cash management solution, consisting of staff-assisted self-service terminals, software and comprehensive services, in the checkout zones and IT operations of Shell Deutschland’s 1,300 service stations. more »

“e-Parliament” discusses connection with voters

The role that the internet can play in parliamentary democracy was explored this week when 400 people gathered in Brussels for the annual “e-Parliament conference”. more »

History, culture and art go digital

The EU’s new digital library brings vast treasure trove of historical documents, rare and valuable manuscripts and exquisite cultural artefacts to your desk. more »