ZDNet UK: Software Patent Protest to Block Web Sites

"More than 600 Web sites are to take part in an online protest against a proposed European law on software patents, timed to coincide with a real-life protest in Brussels on Wednesday.

"Those rallying against the proposal -- including some of Europe's most prominent scientists and software businesses -- believe its current draft would open the door to the patenting of software and business processes, effectively shutting out software competition from small and medium-sized developers...

"Participating sites include a number of open-source organisations, such as Linux desktop software project KDE and Savannah, a hosting site for GNU software projects..."

Complete Story

[Editor's Note: A few of the particpating Linux and Free Software sites are listed here. -BKP]

Apache

Debian

GNOME

KDE

Knoppix

Savannah

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• ComputerWeekly: Open-Source Guru Says Supporters are Bigger Threat to Linux(Aug 08, 2003)
• The Register: Open Source Prepares to Kiss EU Patent Ass Goodbye(Jun 30, 2003)
• The Register: OpenForum Europe Rejects Perens Charges(May 09, 2003)
• NewsForge: False Open Source Representative Calls for European Software Patents(May 06, 2003)