Promotion of software patents == opposition to Open Source.

[Alexander Terekhov]

Russell McOrmond wrote:
[...]
>  IBM has been lobbying for unlimited patentability, pushing 
> the rhetoric of "technology neutrality" that is the most 
> common political phrase used against Open Source software. 
> The problem is, software is not a 'technology' any more than 
> laws, acts of parliament or Roberts Rules are a 'technology'.

You're free to believe in whatever you want... just try to 
keep in mind the following: 

http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/ippd/softpat/1420.htm

"[...] a computer program may or may not have a technical 
 character. What is decisive is whether the program in 
 question makes a technical contribution to the state of the 
 art because it is this which lends a technical character to 
 it. This is an important distinction. "

And, perhaps, also this:

http://www.charvolant.org/~doug/gpl/gpl.pdf
(see 3.4 Patents Are Your Friends)

regards,
alexander. 

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