Demonstrations Against EU Software Patent Plans

Halo1 writes "On Wednesday August 27th, there will be a demonstration at the European Parliament in Brussels against the proposed directive on software patents, organised by the FFII. As an additional (or alternative) action, people are encouraged to participate in an online demonstration that day, replacing the main page of their website with a text explaining the dangers of introducing unlimited patentability in Europe. The proposed directive would make it impossible to refuse patents on algorithms and business methods such as a recently uncovered European patent from Amazon on ordering a gift for and automatically delivering it to a third party, which is even broader than its infamous 1-Click patent."

Re:Yay for software patents!!!

[Tuxinatorium]

That's like saying maybe you can get a free hospital visit if you shoot yourself. Put down the reefer!

Make this a "main" news

[steelneck]

Why isn't this article on the /. main page? If europe would say no to SWP it would send a very strong signal to the US, and maybe act as a catalyst world wide against SWP. I think this "online-event" can be a quite effective demontration if it gets adopted by _many_ sites world wide. [irony] But of course, i am dreaming now, people are way to lasy and have the politicians they deserve [/irony].

our voice is being heard

[misterpies]

It sounds as though people already are making their voice heard on this issue. Today I was listening to a radio debate [bbc.co.uk] on the future of the European Parliament broadcast on BBC radio 4 [bbc.co.uk]. (The broadcast will be repeated Saturday 10:15pm.) One of the participants, a British MEP, said she had received many messages from constituents about the new software patent directives -- proving, as she said, the importance of the EP in representing citizens' interests in EU legislation. Personally I'm in no doubt that the unofficial /. campaign against the directive was responsible for a large number of said messages.