The FFII can blow it out its arse.

[Orethrius]

So I just noticed a post claiming - not providing any proof, mind you, but merely claiming - that the EU is attempting to ban Linux.  "Hogwash, " I said to myself, "surely this is some form of misunderstanding."  Indeed it is not, and is quite disturbing.  The Knoppix Project website refers to this drastic interpretation of the proposals, which I suggest you read.  It links to this site, which explains the issue further.  Apparently the Parliament and the Commission are having communication problems.  That is to say, the Parliament says one thing, and the Commission does the other.  People, the answer is simple.  Fight the powers that be, don't let the Commission ignore the collective voices of the People.  Vote for pro-militia measures, and so on and so forth.  If you don't keep an eye open, and keep those pens handy for your letters to the ignorant, you'll be subjugated in the worst possible manner.

Having said that, I feel I should expound upon you the beauty - and complete existance in a fabled reality - of the Patented Workshop page of that self-same site.  Check the links they provide there.  I did, and I know I found a startling reality.  The basis for this entire argument, the reason why "the sky is falling?"  Protective patents filed twenty years (that's two decades) ago.  People, if you haven't noticed, computer science in the 80's was not a for-profit medium.  CompuServe and its ilk operated at a loss at the time, and patenting this kind of development for anything but protective reasons was certainly nothing to add to your resume.  

Now you're probably noticing that I'm using the word "protective" an awful lot.  Why is that?  Well, to fully understand that issue, you must understand the history of patents.  It was not until recently that the USPTO was abused in such a manner, or for that matter, the Patent Offices of the rest of the world.  Originally, one filed for patents in order to keep another from making money off of them.  However, if "prior art" could be demonstrated - that is, art in existance prior to the patent, or - more to the point - in existance demonstrating the issue prior to the patent - the patent would be dismissed.  It is this protection for which the original authors filed, not the overbearing - and potentially illegal - "commercial patents" of today.  Keep in mind whilst reading that page that somebody actually made a conscious decision that nobody should ever profit off of the control of the mediums specified.  It is only by the device author's good graces that we don't pay for it now, but I'll save merchantability for another discussion on another day.

In closing, patents are a great idea.  Software patents even moreso.  Unfortunately, more corporations have become convinced that controlling the medium is essential to profitting from the market, and humanity bears the loss.  The EU cannot even get along on this one issue, because there is so much bastardization of the issue - on both sides of the fence.  Patents should only be granted on a prevention basis, and then only to the original inventor when it is proven that a corporation could use commercial patents to an unfair advantage.  The current system needs reform, and the EU is headed in the right direction.  Unfortunately, it may not be fast enough.  

I stand by the title though; if you want the Commission to listen, don't complain on some page people may never see.  Don't have people sign an (easily overlooked) online petition that the Commission could just as easily ignore.  Give out addresses.  Give out phone numbers.  You'll find out how many annoyed letters and phone calls it will take for the Commission to listen to the people it governs by their own consensus.  Most importantly, try to turn patents to your advantage.  It's been done before, it can certainly be done again.

[enigma_01]

yes the FFII sucks ass! they belong in the same cupboard as the MPAA and the DMCA!

[Refalm]

The European Commision are non-elected, and are selected from EU governments.

The Commision are often on expensive holiday's, payed by various company's with an agenda.
We don't allow US style lobbying with money, so this is there way of pushing through the company's agenda.
And sadly, it's working.

[Kintaro]

This is very alarming indeed, in fact, this is disturbing.

How can you ban GNU/Linux? I doubt it is possible without massive restrictions being applied to the Internet which would violate Free Speech and other Civil Liberties (I am not sure if this is a big case).

The other problem the face is what lives outside of this internet: Public Wireless Wide Area Networks, The Peoples Internet . Even if these insane laws do come into power, their is no way they can stop the mass distribution of this software. Developers will see the threat another way, and maybe eventually GNU Developers, are white-hats in shining armour, the masters of the code we run will be seen in the same light as black-hat hackers, crackers, I guess free software then would just grow in anonymity, and still exist, however centralisation could cease. However I do not see any such bans or actions being taken for at least another 10 years if they happen at all.

The Automobile Industry had issues with patents in the late 19th century and it does not seem to be a big issue now, so hopefully this is just history repeating itself and that it will continue to do exactly that: repeat itself and then we can all move on.

Actually, I see with the establishment of seemingly communist things like Open Source Software, Wikipedia, Open Art and Music (kickass bands are forming all over the internet) with the onset of technology that a new age of cooperative socialism-capitalism by choise is coming to us already. Parhaps with the evidence that A) People Can Work Together, B) Communication has Improved, that socialism can work and respect freedom respectivly... that soceity will progress.

It is already apparent that the world is in slight crises, which is elevating, hell I thats what the United States Department of Homeland of security are telling us right now: elevated. With this and the status of the economy and interest rates rising (at least they are here), the rise of facism in to many democratic countrys (I am particularly worried about australia where the Liberal-National coalition (now that just sounds funny doesn't it, Liberals siding with Nationals... welcome to australia) getting complete control of the senate, which they will later this year).

Uhm, yea... big changes coming... support them and the world might still be able to support us.

[Orethrius]

The part that disturbs me is that one word you said.  "Liberal-national."  In power.  In the Senate.  Sound familiar?  Here's a hint: think back oh, about fifty years.  Switch the words around and substitute a popular political ideology for "liberal."  Get the idea?  Ideologies don't work on a national basis.  When one party is given absolute power anywhere, a state of fascism begins to take the reigns.  That is what the people of my country are working so hard to prevent here (given we're not as outspoken as we'd like, but we take out victories when we can).  Had Bush won, and gone on to disestablish both of the other two branches of power, he'd be a very dead man.  They may be shadows of their former selves, but they're still there, and that gives us hope for the future.

[MrX]

warning:

[Kintaro]

The part that disturbs me is that one word you said.  "Liberal-national."  In power.  In the Senate.  Sound familiar?  Here's a hint: think back oh, about fifty years.  Switch the words around and substitute a popular political ideology for "liberal."  Get the idea?  Ideologies don't work on a national basis.  When one party is given absolute power anywhere, a state of fascism begins to take the reigns.  That is what the people of my country are working so hard to prevent here (given we're not as outspoken as we'd like, but we take out victories when we can).  Had Bush won, and gone on to disestablish both of the other two branches of power, he'd be a very dead man.  They may be shadows of their former selves, but they're still there, and that gives us hope for the future.

 I certainly see your point with that.

Civil Liberties will get worse, it is happening. This is how it always seems to happen, Civil Liberties get worse, and then as more people take action they get better and take us to the next level of freedom, often better then we were before.

That's just a slight observation and is not always the case.

However, if George W Bush gets assainated, then that will be just used as another scapegoat for the other leaders to get more power, and more control. I am more worried about that happening then anything, actually it seems like a very fine balance on the virge of a total collapse at the moment.