Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox: Say NO to software patents [ip]

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 12:18:49 +0300
From: Kai Puolamaki <kai.puolamaki () effi org>
To: declan () well com
Subject: Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox: Please say no for software patents
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Please find the attached press release for consideration to
Politechbot.

Open letter by Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox to the European parliament:
http://www.effi.org/patentit/patents_torvalds_cox.html

Best regards,
Kai Puolamäki
EFFI ry

* * *

This document:
http://www.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/pressrelease-2003-09-22.html


   Helsinki 22 September 2003
   Press release
   For immediate release
   Electronic Frontier Finland - EFFI ry


Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox: Please say no for software patents

   Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox ask for strict limitations to software
   patents in their letter to the members of the European Parliament. The
   vote on the Directive will be on Wednesday and it is expected to be a
   very close one.

   Linus Torvalds comments: "The experiences from the USA demonstrate
   that software patents don't benefit anyone but perhaps the patent
   lawyers. They will just weaken the market and increase spending on
   patents and litigation, at the expense of technological innovation and
   research. He continues: "We hope that the members of European
   Parliament see these negative sides and don't push the same chaos to
   the old continent."

   Alan Cox notes: "Currently, the companies are moving programming jobs
   offshore. The huge move away from the USA is not entirely driven by
   pricing but also by patent litigation and risk. Companies create a US
   holding company for the intellectual property rights which licenses it
   to a non US body to write the software overseas and import it, so as
   to reduce risk." He stresses: "Adopting the same kind of patents in
   the EU will drive thousands of EU programming jobs overseas, too."

   The Open Letter also strongly argues for open standards. Linus
   Torvalds explains: "Without open standards it is not really possible
   to development open systems. And in the end, without open systems the
   society won't remain open for its citizens."

   In their letter, Torvalds and Cox set three requests for the
   Directive. Firstly, it should clarify limits of patentability so that
   computer programs and business methods really cannot be patented as
   such. Secondly, the Directive should make sure that patents cannot be
   abused to avoid technical competition by preventing interoperability
   of competing software. Finally, the patents should not be allowed to
   be used to prevent publication of information.

   Electronic Frontier Finland ry (EFFI) has coordinated the campaign
   against software patents in Finland. EFFI is very pleased of the
   position taken by Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox. EFFI chairman Mikko
   Välimäki comments: "We hope that all members of the European
   Parliament now understand the real harm caused by the software
   patents."


  More information:

   Open letter in English:
   http://www.effi.org/patentit/patents_torvalds_cox.html

   Open letter in Finnish:
   http://www.effi.org/patentit/patents_torvalds_cox_fi.html

   Open letter in Swedish:
   http://www.effi.org/patentit/patents_torvalds_cox_sv.txt

   Finnish version of this press release [expanded Finnish coverage]:
   http://www.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/lehdistotiedote-2003-09-22.html


   Linus Torvalds
   torvalds () osdl org

   Alan Cox
   alan () lxorguk ukuu org uk

   Mikko Välimäki
   Chairman, Electronic Frontier Finland ry
   mikko.valimaki () effi org
   +358 50 598 0498


   Linus Torvalds is the originator and main developer of the Linux
   operating system. Alan Cox has been one of the major developers of
   Linux for a long time.

   Electronic Frontier Finland - EFFI ry was founded in 2001 to defend
   active users and citizens of the Finnish society in the electronic
   frontier. EFFI influences legislative proposals concerning e.g.
   personal privacy, software patents, freedom of speech and fair use in
   copyright law. We make statements, press releases and participate
   actively in actual public policy and legal discussions. EFFI has been
   featured in the national media including TV, radio and leading
   newspapers. EFFI also works in close cooperation with organizations
   sharing the same goals and values in the Europe, United States and
   elsewhere. EFFI is a founding member of the European Digital Rights
   and a member of Global Internet Liberty Campaign. More information
   from EFFI's home pages: http://www.effi.org/
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