[Fsf-friends] "Software-Patents" in Europe: The threat prevails

[Mahesh T. Pai]

Rakesh 'arky' Ambati said on Tue, Oct 19, 2004 at 03:29:26PM -0700,:

 > Mayank,The idea of Software Patent or related laws of
 > other countries does seems to have their effects
 > here,maybe its fear of laws/acts rather than wheather
 > we are subjected to them.

Guys, you are treading an area where even legal eagles would not dare!

You are  on a subject, shorn  of lawyerese, I will  call, cross border
enforcement  of domestic  laws.  Generally, sovereign  nations do  not
allow  the  laws  of  other  countries to  be  enforced  within  their
territories,  but in  the era  of  GATT, WTO  and whatnot,  this is  a
principle increasingly being compromised  by developing nations at the
instance of (under economic pressure from) developed nations.

We saw that when playfair issue  came up. The Indian ISP was put under
severe  economic   pressure,  if   I  understand  their   (the  ISP's)
perspective correctly.

 > The major question 'can we handle such legal problems
 > here'.We don't have any EFF like organisation here.

You already  have the  FSF-I. I believe  that the present  chairman is
willing to take on more responsibilities than before.

-- 
         Mahesh T. Pai    <<>>   http://paivakil.port5.com
It's not the software that's free; it's you.