software patents

“The best thing is if you can make some Free Software, the next best thing is if you don't make any software, and the worst thing is if you make some proprietary software.”

Richard Stallman explains the ethical principles behind the concept of Free Software and the GNU project.

„Ja das war ein Lehrbeispiel für Lobbyismus in Brüssel.“

As a member of the European Parlament for the Austrian Green Party Eva Lichtenberger gives an introduction into the decision-making processes of the European Parliament and the political situation and state of discussion in Brussels when the debate about software patents reached new peaks in September 2004 and July 2005.

“My message to the patent world is: Either get back to the doctrines of forces of nature or face the elimination of your system.”

Hartmut Pilch of the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) gives insights into the history of patent law, the theoretical shortcomings of the concept of software patents and their consequences.

“And so they decided – because they could – to write their own world!”

Danese Cooper, board member of the Open Source Initiative, gives a short introduction about the relationship between software companies, software patents and the concept of Open Source.