CALIBRE
10-January-2005
The project acdtions will focus on organized research and collaboration with industry, and seek bring open source more into the mainstream. CALIBRE was launched on Sept. 10 at University College Cork.
Softwarepatents: 61 MEPs Urge Return to 1st Reading
13-January-2005
A motion for a resolution, signed by 61 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from 13 countries, calls for a new first reading of the software patent directive. The motion has received particularly warm support from MEPs from Poland and other new member states. However, many veteran MEPs also welcome the initiative as a way out of a crisis, into which the Council has plunged the directive project by failing to conduct a proper first reading. Procedural step would also represent "a face-saving exit strategy for the EU Council.
More Information:
http://swpat.ffii.org/lisri/05/restart01/index.en.html
http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=282
IBM have opened up 500 patents
13-January-2005
have announced that they have opened up 500 of their patents. Of course they'll
still have plenty left. In the last year they have registered 3,248 patents (!)
the 12th year in succession that they have had more patents than anyone else.
The company say that they are committed to creating a "patent commons".
Others might suspect that they want to make patents appear more acceptable, and
so protect their principal income source. Time will tell! In the meantime I guess it is a sign that the people are becoming more aware of the social impact of patents, otherwise IBM wouldn't bother. The text of the pledge
and the list of patents is available here.
