From: Jim Hodapp (jhodapp_at_iupui.edu)
Date: Tue Nov 18 2003 - 10:35:42 EST
On Tue, 2003-11-18 at 09:34, Rui Miguel Seabra wrote:
> On Tue, 2003-11-18 at 04:42, Javier F Serrador wrote:
> > I think that almost in EU it's not illegal "reverse ingeneering" for
> > interoperability.
>
> Definitely not in all countries (in Portugal you can't do that), and
> irrelevant since we're talking about software patents.
>
> > If US law is so strict (and forbides importing that software) there
> > should be a chance to non-US citizens to use that plugings.
>
> IIRC Microsoft is the biggest (if not simply one of the top 3) owner of
> Software Patents in Europe.
>
> That's why it is so important to help http://swpat.ffii.org if you live
> in Europe.
>
> > Also, this is a force-position to change US law (like criptography
> > export ) by creating a competitive-disadvantege on the American side...
>
> The USA already have a competitive-disadvantage: Software Patents
> Now some companies are trying to bring that disadvantage to Europe.
>
> But this is off-topic. You can subscribe to patents_at_aful.org if you're
> interested in discussing software patents in general.
>
> The thread I initiated affects us directly, as a project that "requires"
> import/export to Microsoft Word, but abiword-dev is not the proper place
> for copyright, or patent or trademark general discussion.
>
Sorry but says who? If this stuff is even remotely related to issues
surrounding Abiword then this is the right place in my opinion. If it
means that talking about general copyright, patent or general trademark
discussion is in order, then it is not off topic in the least bit. How
can one have a complete discussion of something while saying certain
aspects are off topic?
Jim Hodapp
> Hugs, Rui
-- Jim Hodapp Electrical Engineering Purdue School of Engineering @ Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
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