[clue-talk] April CLUE presentation

[Jeff Cann]

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On Friday 11 March 2005 3:19 pm, Jed S. Baer wrote:
> On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 22:33:18 -0700
>
> David A. Jenne wrote:
> > Our main speaker for April will be Jason Haislmaier.  Jason is an
> > attorney specializing in open source legal issues.  He is wondering what
> > sort of legal issues CLUE members are interested in hearing about.
> > Please send me topic ideas or specific questions before next Tuesday.
> > I'll then relay this information to Jason.
>
> Patents.

How about patents in general?  Will they paralyze development of free software 
(as in software licensed under the GPL)?  Is the current business idea (e.g., 
IBM) that a patent war chest is a good investment stand the legal test of 
time.  How will free software developers avoid patent issues?

The thing I would love to discuss is copyright law and how the original idea 
of a limited period to protect innovators has been stomped upon by our 
Congress for the past 75 years.  When the threat of Mickey Mouse going into 
the public domain is used to justify the most recent copyright extension 
signed into law, I think the Constitution is being tread upon.  This doesn't 
have much to do with Linux - maybe we could have a special session after the 
meeting ;)

Jeff

- -- 
"Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify 
science from idolatry and false absolutes."
- - Pope John Paul II

http://isuma.org/


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