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News on Free/Open Source Software and software patents

EU postpones action on software patents by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2004-12-03 06:21 PM

MANHASSET, N.Y. — The European Union's Competitiveness Council delayed a decision on the controversial Patent Directive, which would define new limits for technology patents within the countries of the EU.

Linux Kernel maintainer 'barred' from patents meeting by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2004-12-09 10:27 AM

Alan Cox, sometime maintainer of the Linux kernel and well-known open-source advocate, is among those effectively persona non grata at the UK Patent and Trademarks Office (PTO) public meeting on software patents next week.

IBM slammed over patent giveaway by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2005-01-14 01:26 PM

IBM's decision to allow open source developers to freely use hundreds of software patents was criticised as hypocritical by some anti-patent campaigners on Tuesday.

Linux champion Munich welcomes patent delay by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2004-12-23 01:43 PM

The mayor of Munich has hailed Poland's courageous stand on software patents, as his city government moves from Windows to open source.

IBM Gives FOSS Free Access to 500 Patents - Rethinks IP Management by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2005-01-12 12:10 PM

I.B.M. has announced that it is making 500 of its software patents freely available to anyone working on open-source projects, like the popular Linux operating system, on which programmers collaborate and share code.

Open-source honchos trash software patents by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2005-02-02 01:00 PM

Brian Behlendorf, a co-founder of the Apache Web server and Mitch Kapor, chairman of the Mozilla foundation and the Open Source Applications Foundation joined Linux founder Linus Torvalds in disparaging software patents Tuesday, the newest volley in a battle that pits the cooperative programming philosophy against Microsoft.

Software patents make a mockery of European ideals by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2005-03-09 11:15 AM

Whole countries opposed it, its proponents couldn't explain it, and its own parliament called for it to be completely reconsidered. Twice.Therefore, the European Council decided to approve it. Barring an exceptional parliamentary earthquake, the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive will be rubber-stamped by the European Parliament and will in time become law across the Union. It seems Bill Gates got more than a regal tap on the shoulder when he was visiting last week: if these are the punishments for heading a company convicted in Europe and America for anti-trade monopoly abuse, let us hope he is never rewarded.

Irish Open Source Groups Protest Software Patents by Russell John — last modified 2005-03-21 10:49 AM

Irish open source advocates are doing their part to combat software patents in the European Union with a briefing document distributed just in time to give Ireland's 16 Members of European Parliament some light reading material over St. Patrick's Day.

Software patent directive rejected by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2005-07-06 07:56 PM

In a shock move, the European Parliament has voted down the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive.

Innovation or Patent Colonialism by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2005-05-17 08:44 AM

At the Open Source Business Conference (OSBC), true friends, supposed friends, and sworn enemies of OSS, all vied with each other to steer open source to their own advantage.

U.K. judge frowns on software patents by Khairil Yusof — last modified 2006-01-17 09:04 AM

A U.K. judge has questioned whether software patents should be granted, and has criticized the U.S. for allowing "anything under the sun" to be patented.