"The United States patent and legal system has turned into a battlefield where companies and technology developers can be attacked. Open source and free software developers have historically ignored this secondary battlefield, focusing instead on the primary battlefield of development and proliferation of their project. This omission leaves open source projects and individual developers vulnerable to patent infringement lawsuits. By creating its own defensive patent portfolio as commercial companies do, the open source community can arm itself for this battle."
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Member since:2006-11-17
Good point, I modded you up.
I'm not from the US, but what about you launch a campaign of frivolous software patent law suits?
I don't know how much it costs to who in the US to file a law suit, but if it costs to the government or to the companies you attack, serely something would be done quickly to address the problem? (like removing the dumb law?)
Edited 2007-11-07 12:51
Member since:2007-07-16
History teaches us that one side is enough to debunk certain laws. Only that one side needs to have enough supporters and it may take some trail and errors before you succeed. Enough people and countries have done this in order to get access to food, water, salt and medicine.
People are afraid for what may happen and both companies and government know this. But when people get to getter and they fight things in groups it becomes more easier and people are less afraid for what may happen. Small towns who said no the more fast food companies in there town now know that there world didn't collapse.
And when people figure out that (software) patents are mostly to get extra money out of there pockets, but also limits there possibility to write things down or to speak about certain things. It may soon change and now people slowly start to discover what open source does for them and there world. It may also come to there attention what open content means for them. And keep in mind we haven't seen the true power behind projects like Wikipedia for example, but it already shapes the world of our children on school all around the world.
This will also change how we see patent law in some countries and to be honest. I live in a country without patent law for software and it may be the best thing for both companies and the people. And living in a country where some drugs are "regulated" in some way it also shows that people can force there government to change some things. Also patent law and DNA manipulation are both things a normal person can change in this world as long as they get organized.
And I'm not saying it may be easy, but not giving money to companies who are play patent bully is a first step. A step most companies won't recognize until it may be to late for them since they are ordered by the government to make money and losing customer money isn't good. Patents are mostly used for that so do the math. But then again it may not be cool and popular, but you keep your money in the pocket and can choose what you want.
Member since:2007-07-01
Certainly. I never said otherwise. But the person I replied to didn't have a "lets fight this" attitude, but a "you can ignore this" attitude, which IMO is not the way to patent laws fixed. My post was most certainly not an attempt to say that patent laws don't need to be fixed.
And I'm not saying it may be easy, but not giving money to companies who are play patent bully is a first step
Agreed. This is one area where I really have to pat redhat on the back for. Not only are for giving MS the finger, but for the work on the OIN as well. They're good first steps.
Member since:
2007-07-01
The more you ignore them, the more chance you have of having them derail you.
It takes two sides to ignore a dumb law, and unfortunately there are still going to be sides pushing patent lawsuits even if you 'ignore' them.
Something like the OIN has a much better chance of helping than sticking your head in the sand.