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Difference between revisions of "Our goals"

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==What it means to "end software patents"==
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==How do we "end software patents"==
To reliably unburden software from the nuisance of patents, we have multiple aims:
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What we can do right now in a given region depends on [[current events]] there, but in the long term we have to work toward four goals:
  
 
# Legislation that clearly excludes software ideas from patentability
 
# Legislation that clearly excludes software ideas from patentability
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==The role of swpat.org==
 
==The role of swpat.org==
  
To achieve these goals, we have to develop solid [[legal wordings]] for how to describe the limits of patentability in a way that puts software ideas clearly outside of the scope.
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To achieve these goals, we have to develop solid [[arguments]] and [[legal wordings]] for how to describe the limits of patentability in a way that puts software ideas clearly outside of the scope.
  
There have been many great campaigns organised around the world and most of the information they gathered is relevant in other countries.  For example, if some market analysts in the Netherlands publish a report saying that software patents are bad for innovation, then that report is useful in many countries, not just the Netherlands. With that in mind, swpat.org's role is to make all the great info from the many campaigns accessible to each other campaign.  This means we can all build on the status quo instead of each starting from zero.
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There have been many great campaigns organised around the world and most of the information they gathered is relevant in other countries.  For example, if market analysts in the [[Netherlands]] publish a [[Rethinking the European ICT agenda|report saying that software patents are bad for innovation]], then that report is useful in many countries, not just the Netherlands. With that in mind, swpat.org's role is to make all the great info from the many campaigns accessible to each other campaign.  This means we can all build on the status quo instead of each starting from zero.
  
 
Like software, anti-swpat info is developed incrementally.
 
Like software, anti-swpat info is developed incrementally.
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* [[Why focus only on software]]
 
* [[Why focus only on software]]
 
* [[Webpages that disappeared]] - to see why we're doing this documentation project
 
* [[Webpages that disappeared]] - to see why we're doing this documentation project
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[[Category:{{SITENAME}}]]
 
[[Category:{{SITENAME}}]]
 
[[Category:Campaigning]]
 
[[Category:Campaigning]]

Revision as of 15:56, 10 August 2009

How do we "end software patents"

What we can do right now in a given region depends on current events there, but in the long term we have to work toward four goals:

  1. Legislation that clearly excludes software ideas from patentability
  2. Patent office conduct that consistently rejects applications for patents on software ideas
  3. Court rulings which confirm that patents on software ideas are not valid
  4. Understanding among politicians that software patents are a bad idea

The role of swpat.org

To achieve these goals, we have to develop solid arguments and legal wordings for how to describe the limits of patentability in a way that puts software ideas clearly outside of the scope.

There have been many great campaigns organised around the world and most of the information they gathered is relevant in other countries. For example, if market analysts in the Netherlands publish a report saying that software patents are bad for innovation, then that report is useful in many countries, not just the Netherlands. With that in mind, swpat.org's role is to make all the great info from the many campaigns accessible to each other campaign. This means we can all build on the status quo instead of each starting from zero.

Like software, anti-swpat info is developed incrementally.

Side issues

There are also minor intermediary goals and other minor ways to also fight software patents, but the list of points above are the real goals of anyone who is against software patents.

See also