[SATLUG] Oppose I.P., Software Patents, and other dangerous legislation!

[Tom Weeks]

M$ has filed like over 3,400 patents over the years.. and it looks like a 
great many of the newer ones are aimed dead at the heart of Linux and other 
Open Source products that they can't "own" any other way:
http://swpat.ffii.org/players/microsoft/index.en.html
(some of these are just plain ludicrous)

What prevents them from lurking on source forge.. spotting "cool ideas" and 
patenting them?  The concept is down right revolting.

This is yet another reason why we American geeks need to join in and pick up 
the international flag of opposition on software patents.
http://www.petitiononline.com/pasp01/petition.html
http://www.publicknowledge.org/action/IPPA2391

Related:
http://www.petitiononline.com/nixdmca/petition.html
http://www.fsf.org/server/takeaction.html

Tweeks