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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: Software patent protest, could kde participate ?
From:       Rob Kaper <cap () capsi ! com>
Date:       2003-08-24 13:53:31
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On Sat, Aug 23, 2003 at 02:41:13PM +0200, Christophe Devriese wrote:
> I don't think we can afford to let this happen. If software patents are 
> approved, and someone attacks kde, kde will have no means of defending itself 
> (successful defense against a patent lawsuit means getting the patent 
> invalidated, estimated legal cost : 500.000 euro (because they will appeal 
> right up to the superior court) per patent.

The fact that the US patent office tends to be incompetent when it comes to
granting patents does not mean that software patents themselves are a
problem.

That's just my initial thought and many here might disagree, of course. So
far it seems like parties like IBM and Red Hat seem to be willing to defend
projects like Linux from SCO, so I wouldn't see why companies wouldn't help
KDE a hand in case someone attacks us. First of all, we'd only be in trouble
if we'd actually would infringe on a patent, as I believe legal entities are
still innocent until proven guilty.

Rob

PS: this mail is very "IMHO". My views here don't represent KDE in any way.
-- 
Rob Kaper     | "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
cap@capsi.com | temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
www.capsi.com | - Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

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