Chris Lale ctlale@netscape.net wrote:
I just wondered how many people were aware of two recent threats to free software.
[...]
This all seems very worrying. Does anyone have any more up-to-date knowledge of these issues?
I try to keep informed, but there's a lot to follow, isn't there? Both of the problems you mention can get quite complex in the details and most of the advocates of our point of view are volunteers. Help in tracking them is always appreciated by free software groups.
I think the other really serious imminent problem you missed is the UK's implementation of the EU Copyright Directive (EUCD), which has blown up into a DMCA-style law. The first round of public consultation has closed and the UK's Association For Free Software http://www.affs.org.uk/ was among those submitting detailed responses. The implementation has been postponed while the Patent Office (who seem to deal with copyright law in the UK, bizarrely) consider the large volume of responses and their progress report is at http://www.patent.gov.uk/copy/notices/report.htm -- I'm surprised that there weren't more responses, though. We must keep this process going until a fair implementation is created. EUCD must not become a stealth DMCA.
Please join the FSFE-UK mailing list linked from the AFFS.org.uk site if you wish to be informed about these issues. I try to remember to post to the ALUG announcement list when major things happen, but there's a lot else going on.