Hello, I hope that most of you are familiar with software patents and how destructive these can be. A patent is a monopoly on an idea - for expample the idea of forwarding client request to the server with lowest load is patented.

I know that most of you are not europeans but I hope you will help us anyway. Because if europe rejects sw patents it gives a positive signal also to US.

Last battle was won (On 6 July, the European Parliament fortunately rejected a proposal for a software patent directive). But EPO (european patent office) is still giving out patents on computer software. The legal basis for that is very questionable put it is still a big problem.

Now it is time for some counterattack. Europe (European Voice, magazine) is electing the european of the year. Florian Mueller - anti- softwarepatent activist and  Michel Rocard - the MEP (member of european parlament) that very much helped us in the fight, are also nominees. You can vote online and you don't have to be european for that!

Winning this title for florian or Rocard would mean much public attention for the subject of sw patents (until now many think of us some IT loonies).  The winner can also hold a speech on gala evening.

It is our first and very good change to fight back and to make us heard, please help us any way you can - please vote and please ask your friends to vote. European small companies and freeware makers are also asking people to vote for Florian (for example MySQL AB).

Please go to http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/en/m/ev50/index.html for more information, the vote is open untill 11. of November. We ask you to vote for Florian for european of the year award because we need to go for one person to get enough votes. But if you prefer Rocard, you are very welcome to vote for him.

Thank You very much, we really need your help.

Done!

europe wrote:
> Hello, I hope that most of you are familiar with software patents and how
> destructive these can be. A patent is a monopoly on an idea - for expample the
> idea of forwarding client request to the server with lowest load is patented.
> 
> I know that most of you are not europeans but I hope you will help us anyway.
> Because if europe rejects sw patents it gives a positive signal also to US.
> 
> Last battle was won (On 6 July, the European Parliament fortunately rejected a
> proposal for a software patent directive). But EPO (european patent office) is
> still giving out patents on computer software. The legal basis for that is very
> questionable put it is still a big problem. 
> 
> Now it is time for some counterattack. Europe (European Voice, magazine) is
> electing the european of the year. Florian Mueller - anti- softwarepatent
> activist and  Michel Rocard - the MEP (member of european parlament) that very
> much helped us in the fight, are also nominees. You can vote online and you
> don't have to be european for that! 
> 
> Winning this title for florian or Rocard would mean much public attention for
> the subject of sw patents (until now many think of us some IT loonies).  The
> winner can also hold a speech on gala evening. 
> 
> It is our first and very good change to fight back and to make us heard, please
> help us any way you can - please vote and please ask your friends to vote.
> European small companies and freeware makers are also asking people to vote for
> Florian (for example MySQL AB).
> 
> Please go to http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/en/m/ev50/index.html for more
> information, the vote is open untill 11. of November. We ask you to vote for
> Florian for european of the year award because we need to go for one person to
> get enough votes. But if you prefer Rocard, you are very welcome to vote for
> him.
> 
> Thank You very much, we really need your help.
> 
> 
> 

dito!
Hasan Aljudy wrote:

> Done!
> 
> europe wrote:
>> Hello, I hope that most of you are familiar with software patents and how destructive these can be. A patent is a monopoly on an idea - for expample the idea of forwarding client request to the server with lowest load is patented.
>> 
>> I know that most of you are not europeans but I hope you will help us anyway. Because if europe rejects sw patents it gives a positive signal also to US.
>> 
>> Last battle was won (On 6 July, the European Parliament fortunately rejected a proposal for a software patent directive). But EPO (european patent office) is still giving out patents on computer software. The legal basis for that is very questionable put it is still a big problem.
>> 
>> Now it is time for some counterattack. Europe (European Voice, magazine)
>> is electing the european of the year. Florian Mueller - anti-
>> softwarepatent
>> activist and  Michel Rocard - the MEP (member of european parlament) that
>> very much helped us in the fight, are also nominees. You can vote online
>> and you don't have to be european for that!
>> 
>> Winning this title for florian or Rocard would mean much public attention
>> for
>> the subject of sw patents (until now many think of us some IT loonies).
>> The winner can also hold a speech on gala evening.
>> 
>> It is our first and very good change to fight back and to make us heard, please help us any way you can - please vote and please ask your friends to vote. European small companies and freeware makers are also asking people to vote for Florian (for example MySQL AB).
>> 
>> Please go to http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/en/m/ev50/index.html for more information, the vote is open untill 11. of November. We ask you to vote for Florian for european of the year award because we need to go for one person to get enough votes. But if you prefer Rocard, you are very welcome to vote for him.
>> 
>> Thank You very much, we really need your help.
>> 
>> 
>>

Thanks!

In article <dk3763$et2$1@digitaldaemon.com>, Manfred Hansen says...
>
>dito!
>Hasan Aljudy wrote:
>
>> Done!
>> 
>> europe wrote:
>>> Hello, I hope that most of you are familiar with software patents and how destructive these can be. A patent is a monopoly on an idea - for expample the idea of forwarding client request to the server with lowest load is patented.
>>> 
>>> I know that most of you are not europeans but I hope you will help us anyway. Because if europe rejects sw patents it gives a positive signal also to US.
>>> 
>>> Last battle was won (On 6 July, the European Parliament fortunately rejected a proposal for a software patent directive). But EPO (european patent office) is still giving out patents on computer software. The legal basis for that is very questionable put it is still a big problem.
>>> 
>>> Now it is time for some counterattack. Europe (European Voice, magazine)
>>> is electing the european of the year. Florian Mueller - anti-
>>> softwarepatent
>>> activist and  Michel Rocard - the MEP (member of european parlament) that
>>> very much helped us in the fight, are also nominees. You can vote online
>>> and you don't have to be european for that!
>>> 
>>> Winning this title for florian or Rocard would mean much public attention
>>> for
>>> the subject of sw patents (until now many think of us some IT loonies).
>>> The winner can also hold a speech on gala evening.
>>> 
>>> It is our first and very good change to fight back and to make us heard, please help us any way you can - please vote and please ask your friends to vote. European small companies and freeware makers are also asking people to vote for Florian (for example MySQL AB).
>>> 
>>> Please go to http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/en/m/ev50/index.html for more information, the vote is open untill 11. of November. We ask you to vote for Florian for european of the year award because we need to go for one person to get enough votes. But if you prefer Rocard, you are very welcome to vote for him.
>>> 
>>> Thank You very much, we really need your help.
>>> 
>>> 
>>>
>