I’m just back from LinuxCon Europe in Prague. Linux Foundation had invited me to come over and speak about current policy issues in Free Software. Here’s what I covered: That old favourite, software patents. They’ve always been a nuisance and an unmitigated economic disaster. But recently, patent litigation has acquired a new toxic quality. Read more »
This week, Dutch journalist Brenno de Winter published a leaked draft for a new version of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF). The current version of the EIF, from 2004, has been referenced around the world as a prime example of how public administrations can make use of Open Standards and Free Software in order to Read more »
High Noon in Brussels: At the end of her term, competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes is wrapping up two open cases against Microsoft. The company offered to settle in July 2009. FSFE is concerned that a quick settlement could deprive Europeans of competition and innovation in a software market based on open standards, in particular where Free Software is concerned.
Last week WIPO held a conference on “Intellectual property and public policy issues”. That WIPO finally starts to consider the real consequences of the rules it is making is clearly a good thing. But apart from some very good contributions by people from the UN system, the conference quickly acquired the bitter taste of a Read more »