On Tuesday 01 June 2004 Steve Purkiss steve@open4.org wrote:
I have had a real problem with understanding the voting on software patents and things, just completely unable to comprehend anything to do with it, until I read this open letter which I personally found very helpful, at least I know how to vote usefully now!
http://www.linux.org.uk/open.l.html
/Kirsten
Me too - thanks for the link - kinda summarises well what I've found out so far, however on the wider scale of things I personally would prefer voting Libdems who weren't mentioned there but I understand they are also more receptive to our 'cause'.
Now I'm even more confused...
Perhaps Mark will be able to let you have the voting results of the Lib-Dems on this matter in the European Parliament, I seem to remember something being mentioned about their voting record on this matter at Sunday's meeting.
In the meantime perhaps you, (and every body else could send your candidates this:
___________________
I would be grateful if you could also reply to the following questions.
Do you believe that current copyright enforcement measures are sufficient?
Would you vote to allow technological measures that prevent duplication of copyright material for reporting, research and private study?
Would you vote for future harmonsiations of European copyright laws to take a high level of protection as their basis?
Do you believe that protection of copyright is more important than protection of competition?
These questions concern the forthcoming second reading of the directive on patentability of computer-implemented inventions. Will you vote for freedom of publication (against patent program claims)?
Will you vote for exclusion of data processing from a 'field of technology', as voted in Article 3a on 24 September?
Will you vote for a definition of 'technical' by reference to forces of nature?
Will you vote for rejection of the directive if it does not include all of the above freedoms, exclusion and definition?
______________________________________