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Save the Web From Software Patents

Posted by Unknown on from the byline-discontinued-due-to-patent-lawsuit dept.

TheNextCorner writes "PersonalWeb's software patent suit against Github and others threatens the freedom of the Web. In order to make sure that the Web can remain a free and accessible space for everyone, we need to rid ourselves of all the patents that threaten its viability. We need to end software patents."

5 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Well, yes, but it is not going to be easy by gweihir · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Remember that quite a few powerful companies have built their fortune on abusing the patent system.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    1. Re:Well, yes, but it is not going to be easy by JWW · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I am beginning to believe that our screwed up patent system is the primary reason small businesses are failing to get started and why we're struggling so much to get out of the recession.

  2. I'm surprised... by jedirock · · Score: 5, Informative

    that no one mentioned the very well written article posted on ArsTechnica yesterday about the patent system and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. As expected, a very US-centric view on the problem, but it does raise some obvious issues. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/09/how-a-rogue-appeals-court-wrecked-the-patent-system/

  3. Humans are assholes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some humans really love getting more than they give, having lots of power over others and abusing it for the sake of abusing it, and so on.

    The overwhelming majority of the rest of humanity likes being as lazy as possible in order to achieve their mediocre existence, never putting themselves out to change things that don't seem like they will make a really huge difference in their own lives. It is *so* much easier to let other people fight the important battles while watching TV and feeling smug after having voted.

    The tiny remainder who actually care about justice, and about helping humanity achieve its full potential, are completely outnumbered (by the slothful) and outgunned (by the powerful).

    Maybe we will grow out of this someday. Until then, expect widespread failure.

  4. Re:Right... by Charliemopps · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I disagree. Software patents, if allowed to continue, will likely destroy this site, along with many others like it. Is a man in shackles ever unbiased about his right to a trial? Are reporters unbiased when they report on freedom of the press? Should slashdot pretend to be unbiased when it comes to freedom of the internet? When it comes to survival, we are all rightfully biased towards self preservation and there is no shame in it.