patents erode freedom

I am a Free Software user.  Free as in freedom.  My main use
for my computer is to access the internet.  I'm glad I can
do so with my choice of software, I'm glad I can set up a
website of my own, with my choice of software.  I hope I can
always do these things, in freedom.

If you look around, you will see that it is Free Software
that sustains the internet.  Free, user-respecting software
such as Apache, Perl, MySQL, PHP3, Mozilla, GnuPG, GNU/Linux
webservers, the list goes on.

The freedom of the internet is not guaranteed, monopolies
can erode peoples freedom; they don't have to treat people
with respect when patents make competition illegal.

Field-of-use clauses aren't the answer, why should a third
party decide what I am alowed to do with a piece of
software?  Why would the W3C allow patented technologies
that inhibit the Free Software developers that write the
software I, and millions of others, use for internet use?

Most of my software is protected by the GNU GPL as published
by the Free Software Foundation.  With the exception of
Apache, the GNU GPL is used to protect all of the pieces of
software mentioned at the start of this email.  I think the
W3C should only allow standard that are unencumbered by
patents; ones that can be implemented by Free Software
developers with the protection of the GNU GPL.

Thanks for listening.
Ciaran O'Riordan

Received on Thursday, 20 March 2003 18:07:17 UTC