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EU Commission Declines Patent Debate Restart

Posted by timothy on from the force-breeds-resistance dept.

maxkueng writes "I just recieved an email from NoSoftwarePatents.com. They say: 'The EU Commission, under the leadership of someone who previously failed as Portuguese prime minister and as per the suggestion of a Microsoft puppet, has decided to decline the European Parliament's request for restarting the process on the software patent directive.' More can be read on Florian Mueller's Forum post."

6 of 367 comments (clear)

  1. A slap in the face... by c0l0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's a sad day for those who believe democratic ideals were still governing politicians actions in the EU. A really sad day.

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    :%s/Open Source/Free Software/g

    YTARY!
    1. Re:A slap in the face... by onash · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Whoah! That is a very naive opinion on the EU.

      I am very grateful to the EU as it is tying together all the countries in the continent that has suffered the most from wars in the last century. By making all the countries depend on each other in trade, none of them will ever think of going to war against each other again.

      Now with the addition of eastern Europe, the EU can help the poorer countries of Europe create better living situation for their citizens.. that alone will make things so much easier for Europe's future.

      Your "logic" sounds like the FUD that anti-everything use on any government or international organization they don't like these days. It is just not right.. Criticism is good, but bullshit just makes things worse.

  2. Seriously by October_30th · · Score: 5, Insightful
    A wannabe Napoleon who heads the Commission and a Microsoft puppet that runs the DG (directorate general) in charge have decided to negate democracy.

    With unhinged comments like that he's never going end up anywhere else than in the populist fringe.

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    The owls are not what they seem
  3. Re:Been thinking about this lately... by nattt · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You miss the point that hardware is a thing, whereas software is, in source form, a free expression of ideas, as any novel in literature is. Software embodies algorithms and algorithms are rightly not-patentable as they would limit under law the range of legal human thought.

    Software is more than adequately protected by copyright. The only good solution for software patents is no software patents. I can sort of see the point of patents on hardware, but again, they need to be quality patents or the problem is worse than the solution.

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    -- oldthinkers unbellyfeel ingsoc
  4. Mark Twain on politicians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "A honest politician is one who, once being bought, stays bought." -- Mark Twain.

  5. Re:antidisestablishmentarianism by Tough+Love · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Somebody wants this law so badly they will bend and break any EU rule they can to get this software patent legistaltion through.

    None other than Bill Gates. There is a reason he showed up in Brussels the day before the JURI commission was to decide whether the process should be restarted or not. There is a reason that Charlie McCreevy, former head of the Commission and now self-appointed leader of the committee that decides whether to take such steps as ignore the unanimous direction of the European Parliament to restart the process, dances on the end of Bill's string. What is this reason? As former minister of finance of Ireland, and Microsoft being the largest taxpayer in Ireland, Bill Gates paid McCreevy's paycheck. Bill Gates probably still pays McCreevy's paycheck. There is a reason for everything.

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    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.