EFF Asks U.S. Senate To Protect Reexamination Proceedings (and the Patent
Busting Project)
,----[ Quote ]
| EFF's Patent Busting Project is one of a number of public-interest projects
| that use the reexamination process to defend the public against the most
| dubious patents. Four of our five petitions for reexamination have been
| granted, and EFF expects the last will be after the PTO has had an
| opportunity to review it (it was filed last week). One of the first
| reexamination requests submitted by EFF has already resulted in the PTO
| revoking the patent.
`----
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/02/eff-asks-u-s-senate-protect-reexamination-proceedings-and-patent-busting-project
European patent chief paves the way for change
,----[ Quote ]
| She is dismissive of some of the criticism leveled at the patent system and
| specifically at the EPO from parts of the open-source and free software
| movements.
|
| "There's a high degree of emotion, but a low degree of light," she said,
| referring to both sides in the intense lobbying when the European Union was
| debating a proposed law on software patentability that was scrapped in 2005.
`----
http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/02/04/european-patent-chief-paves-way-change
So monopolies trying to change the law (e.g. Nokia) are OK, but the citizen's
needs, which include worry-free programming by teenagers, is not OK?
Related:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5jkZFIwmc-8
Lessig: Required Reading: the next 10 years
,----[ Quote ]
| Yet governments continue to push ahead with this idiot idea -- both Britain
| and Japan for example are considering extending existing terms. Why?
|
| The answer is a kind of corruption of the political process. Or better,
| a "corruption" of the political process. I don't mean corruption in the
| simple sense of bribery. I mean "corruption" in the sense that the
| system is so queered by the influence of money that it can't even get
| an issue as simple and clear as term extension right.
`----
http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/003800.shtml#003800
RIAA, MPAA urge pro-copyright vows from presidential candidates
,----[ Quote ]
| One question, for instance, asks: "How would you promote the progress of
| science and creativity, as enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, by upholding
| and strengthening copyright law and preventing its diminishment?"
`----
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9821141-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Is Sarko Uxorious?
,----[ Quote ]
| What this neglects to take into account is the fact that falling into the
| public domain is a gain for the public - and hence the actual moment when it
| becomes part of the "national pop heritage" - and that the gain vastly
| outweighs any minimal effect it has on ageing rockers' royalties.
| Unfortunately, with this action, as with others (including the "three strikes
| and you're out" approach to fighting filesharing), Sarkozy shows himself to
| be an old man - however young his new wife may be.
`----
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2008/02/is-sarko-uxorious.html
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