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Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Last Chance to prevent EU software patents

Newsforge is covering a press release calling for a protest in Brussels on Monday. I was sent a copy of the (rather confusingly-phrased) release for some reason (hmm, must be getting a reputation...) and I immediately did some research, unlike the writer of the piece in Newsforge or indeed the Microsoft spokesperson who seems to have been their only source. The article says:

The protest, designed to call attention to Microsoft's alleged corporate support of the Irish presidency of the EU, will include the distribution of CD-ROMs containing free software to Irish diplomats as a reminder of the existence of alternative software products.

I did a tiny amount of digging and found that, far from being 'alleged', Microsoft's support for the Irish presidency is proudly displayed on the EU Presidency web site. What's even more interesting is that Microsoft's Jim Desler isn't aware of this:

"We're a little confused as to what is meant by 'corporate support,' " Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler told NewsForge late Friday after reading the Zrihen-Ortsverein letter. "Does this mean the sponsorship of an event, a booth, or a table at an event? Microsoft does have field offices and employees in Ireland. We have an ongoing effort to reach out and build collaborative relationships with many countries. But I don't know what else they are talking about."

Makes my conspiracy theory antennae spring up when a corporate spokesperson denies involvement when it's public knowledge. Makes you wonder if there was a link between this and Irish government's fear of open source too.

Anyway, what's much more relevant is that there's a protest against the amazingly undemocratic behaviour of the European Commission in the face of opposition to software patents from huge numbers of citizens, expressed through their elected representatives. Seems the decision deadline is Monday and that the protest is well timed if badly aimed (being perceived as an attack on Microsoft distracts badly from the real issue) so if you can make it, go to

in front of the permanent representation of Ireland to the European Union this Monday, 17 May 2004 at 1300 (Rue Froissart 89, 1040 Bruxelles)

and make your voice heard while we Europeans still have the freedom to think without having to pay royalties to people who thought a little ahead of us.

posted at 12:03 AM (UK) | |