Information Systems Forum
Friday 4 June 2004
Software Patents - A Danger for Innovation?

The European Union is currently introducing legislation which will extend patent law to cover computer programs. The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) is one of many organisations opposing this move, saying it will stifle innovation and force programmers to worry about whether they could be prosecuted for writing computer
programs.

James Heald of the FFII will give a talk entitled "Software Patents: a Danger for Innovation." Local MEPs and other competing candidates in the European elections on 10 June will attend this forum and will give statements as to their position on this issue. There is a possibility of a second speaker who will take a pro-patents position. Afterwards, the talk and discussion will be available as video and audio streams via  http://cambridge.indymedia.org.uk (more information on software patents is also on this site).

Judge Institute of Management
Trumpington Street
Lecture Theatre 1
Friday 4 June 2004
11am - 12:30 pm

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James Heald is UK Co-ordinator for the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII), which has been the leading grass-roots organisation in the campaign for the current European legislative process to uphold strong and meaningful limits on the patentability of software. FFII campaigns to promote competition and innovation in the field of software development. It seeks a positive environment for the development of information goods, based on copyright, free competition, and open standards. More than 700 companies and 50,000 registered supporters have entrusted the FFII to act as their public voice in the area of exclusion rights (intellectual property) in data processing; and the FFII/Eurolinux petition against software patents now has over 300,000 signatories.