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Merged from miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005 (patch 149-151, 629-641)
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/emacs--cvs-trunk--0--patch-629
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/emacs--cvs-trunk--0--patch-630
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/emacs--cvs-trunk--0--patch-631
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/emacs--cvs-trunk--0--patch-632
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/emacs--cvs-trunk--0--patch-633
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/emacs--cvs-trunk--0--patch-641
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/gnus--rel--5.10--patch-149
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/gnus--rel--5.10--patch-150
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* miles@gnu.org--gnu-2005/gnus--rel--5.10--patch-151
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git-archimport-id: lorentey@elte.hu--2004/emacs--multi-tty--0--patch-437
author | Karoly Lorentey <lorentey@elte.hu> |
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date | Mon, 07 Nov 2005 14:56:19 +0000 |
parents | 885f63d7c285 |
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Protect Your Freedom to Write Programs Join the League for Programming Freedom (Version of February 3, 1994) Ten years ago, programmers were allowed to write programs using all the techniques they knew, and providing whatever features they felt were useful. This is no longer the case. New monopolies, known as software patents and interface copyrights, have taken away our freedom of expression and our ability to do a good job. "Look and feel" lawsuits attempt to monopolize well-known command languages; some have succeeded. Copyrights on command languages enforce gratuitous incompatibility, close opportunities for competition, and stifle incremental improvements. Software patents are even more dangerous; they make every design decision in the development of a program carry a risk of a lawsuit, with draconian pretrial seizure. It is difficult and expensive to find out whether the techniques you consider using are patented; it is impossible to find out whether they will be patented in the future. The League for Programming Freedom is a grass-roots organization of professors, students, businessmen, programmers and users dedicated to bringing back the freedom to write programs. The League is not opposed to the legal system that Congress expressly established for software--copyright on individual programs. Our aim is to reverse the recent changes that prevent programmers from doing their work. The League works to abolish the new monopolies by publishing articles, talking with public officials, denouncing egregious offenders, and filing amicus curiae briefs, most notably against Lotus in its suit against Borland. We testified twice at the recent Patent Office hearings on software patents. We welcome suggestions for other activities, as well as help in carrying them out. (Added 2003) The League for Programming Freedom is inactive nowadays, though its web site www.programming-freedom.org is still maintained. It would be very useful to find a person who could take the initiative to get the LPF operating again. It will be a substantial job, requiring persistence and working with a lawyer. If you want to do it, please write to rms@gnu.org.