Patenting the Web

["Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah" <rmslade () shaw ca>]

An interesting article on Tim Berners-Lee testifying in the case.

What really caught my eye, though, was one of the comments:

"Let Eolas win. 

The article already mentions that software patents are specific to US. And the 
case is exceptional in that it carries enough magnitude to make history. What 
happens next is the following:

1. All web companies will have to move their servers abroad, preferably to the EU.
2. Eolas could try to shut down access to them from within the US for all US 
residents.
3. People will start becoming aware that something is wrong when half of the web 
of off. Basically for the first time seeing the web as fragmented as most of the 
world is seeing US sites right now, without US citizens noticing unless when trying 
to access their servers from abroad.
4. The legislation will have to reexamine software patents and the first step will be 
trying to force the EU and other countries into using them.
5. The EU will realize the US' failure and its consequences and banish the 
discussion on software patents for ever, gaining a competitive advantage.
6. The US, too late, depleted and denied taxation from the web businesses will 
have to abandon software patents."

======================  (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade () vcn bc ca     slade () victoria tc ca     rslade () computercrime org
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.
                                                 - W. Edwards Deming
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://www.infosecbc.org/links
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
http://twitter.com/rslade
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