Re: [Fsfe-uk] GPLv3 last days for comment, and other news links

[Ciaran O'Riordan]

MJ Ray <address@hidden> writes:
> Patents cannot be used on software at all here.  It's disappointing
> if software patent problems are being exported to us by GPLv3.

The patent related requirements in GPLv3 only exist in a region to the
extent that software patents exist in that region - so if your first
sentence is right, then your second is null.

Unfortunately, software patents can be used in the UK.  They probably can't
to win a court case, but until we have undisputed legislation saying they're
invalid, they can still be used for their primary purpose: FUD.

GPLv3 aims to assure recipients of GPLv3'd software that their distributor
will not sue them, and it assures further downstream recipients that they
are as safe as the person they received the software from.

I haven't seen any good argument for why GPLv3 shouldn't give users these
assurances.


-- 
Ciarán O'Riordan __________________ \ http://fsfeurope.org/projects/gplv3
http://ciaran.compsoc.com/ _________ \  GPLv3 and other work supported by
http://fsfe.org/fellows/ciaran/weblog \   Fellowship: http://www.fsfe.org