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Europeans, Tweak Your Representatives On Patents

Posted by timothy on from the pull-their-noses-gently dept.

zoobab writes "The FFII is launching a call for action to push European candidates to answer questions on Software Patents. Alan Cox has also written a open letter in which he points out that those European elections are an opportunity for each citizen to have the choice and to make the politicians listen. Get the questionnaire and send it to the candidates of your country!"

4 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. The language... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    ...is too difficult to understand. The average person would not be able to understand those questionnaires.

    If they want as many valid candidates to fill out the questionnairs as possible, then they should direct it at the people, with sensible people language.

    1. Re:The language... by mccalli · · Score: 4, Interesting
      ..is too difficult to understand. The average person would not be able to understand those questionnaires.

      In addition it comes over as hostile by default. It could be altered to adaopt a more conversational tone quite easily.

      For example, "Will you vote to reject....yes/abstain/cancel" could become "What position will you take on....accept/abstain/reject". You've now given the person a chance to answer without feeling you've pointed a gun at their head.

      Cheers,
      Ian

  2. This weeks Slashdot challenge... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The only way to influence politicians is to get column inches and air time. The only sure way to do that is to do something dramatic (a la fuel protests, anti-war protests, anything that mildly annoys the French, etc.)

    So, here's the Slashdot challenge: Come up with and implement a scheme to draw the media's attention to this issue. The winner is the first to make it to the BBC evening news...

  3. It pays off by andr0meda · · Score: 5, Interesting


    I've written my national and regional MP of the department of Work and Economy, and she promissed me to make sure belgium would not vote yes to the proposal of the current Irish presidency. Belgium (my country) subsequently abstained from the vote, along with a few others. Germany, which was expected to at least abstain, and that had said it would vote no, in the end voted yes, which makes blocking the proposal a whole lot more difficult (but not impossible). I won't pretend my writing made the difference, but I would say that yes, it does pay off to make some noise.

    The big problem here is that lawyers and rulemakers can be bought, and that the FFII does not represent the kapitalist industry that can apparently leverage any vote it wants, 'xcept for a few small stubborn but harmless ones.

    So, open your eyes, ladies and gentlemen, because King Kapitalism, in this case, is ~BAD~. I'm not a commie nor a leftie, but I just wanted to say this loud and clear, so that some people at least for once get the message. And no, I'm not an Anti-globalist, but I very much *AM* a Different-globalist, who wants to bring the power back to the ones who need it (us, the people, in case you were wondering)

    Write your MP today, and get your friends to write as well. It's not so difficult to write a well founded email, and at least they will be aware that some groups in society WILL have a problem and at least HAVE warned the EU of the consequences. It will make their case less convincing, and they will never be able to say "uh, we didn't know". Write today. Peace out.

    --
    With great power comes great electricity bills.