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Richard Stallman on EU Software Patents

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the doing-his-thing dept.

schreibmaschine writes "Richard Stallman writes in The Guardian that the defeat of the EU directive has bought time, but that the pro-patent forces will regroup and try again."

3 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting article from RMS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    An amazingly focussed article by RMS. He stayed on the patent topic without deviating into a free-software diatribe, and seems to have a handle on the EU situation at large.

    The only problem is... I don't. I RTFA, but I still lack the background on how this all works, between ministers, and parliaments, and councils, what a "directive" is, and who listens to who. Could one of our EU slashdotters enlighten?

    1. Re:Interesting article from RMS by daniil · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Well, i thought that his lack of understanding would be obvious to anyone who has read the article, but seeing that it wasn't, i might just as well take the time to give some examples.

      First of all, talking about the European Commission, Stallman says: The Hungarian representative voted for software patents even as his prime minister said Hungary was against them. The point he's missing is that the Hungarian representative in the commission does not have to (and is not supposed to) follow his government's orders, as he's acting in the interest of the whole union, not just those of his country.

      Then he proposes that [t]he unelected European commission and the national governments that cannot stand up to business pressure should have no role in forming EU directives. Instead, every directive should start in the European parliament. If approved there, it should go for ratification by an "upper house" representing the people of Europe by means of referendums. There are many reasons why this is unreasonable (the main reason, of course, being that it would simply not work on such a large scale), but what makes the proposition especially absurd is that he wants to change a system that has been proven to work by the very same patents decision Stallman is ranting about. Stallman's proposition would, however, eliminate one step from the legislative process, seriously distorting the balance of powers, as there would be noone keeping the "upper house" in check (who keeps an eye on the people?); it would still, however, be quite easily manipulable (the EU referendums all around Europe are a good example of this).

      --
      Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
  2. The Golden Rule still applies by MarkEst1973 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Those who have the gold make the rules.

    Stallman -- as he usually does -- wrote a well-opinioned piece, but it's money that influences politicians. Stallman doesn't have any, and the FSF not nearly enough to stop M$ or others.

    The patent system will change when enough big companies get tired of it, like IBM's recent call for patent reform. IBM has the money to push these kinds of issues. Stallman does not.