About software patents, FTISA and the Perens petition

“If you support software patents, then you might as well claim ownership of the air you breathe. The idea is preposterous, we all breathe the same air. It is society’s responsibility to create laws that sustain healthy ‘air’ and corporate ethics that comply with those laws rather than distort them under the bastardized guise of innovation.” Gregory Rundlett

The OpenCafe team actively takes part in the work of FTISA (Freedom To Innovate South Africa).

A primary objective of FTISA is to create and defend a legislative environment in South Africa which is conducive to the development of an indigenous software sector, one in which software innovation and production is allowed to flourish and the benefits of FOSS to the developing economy which relies heavily on information technology is protected. Such an environment can only exist with a complete, comprehensive, legally robust and affordable enforcement of the existing exclusion of computer software from patentable subject matter in South Africa. By acting effectively, imaginatively and constructively within our national context we intend also to contribute to the efforts of those with similar objectives internationally. (To find out more click to visit the FTISA site.)

The recent agreement between Novell and Microsoft has highlighted the plight of all of those that are strongly against the use of software patents – one of them being Bruce Perens, the creator of the open source definition. Perens has an online petition signed already by 2266 people – many of whom also included very informative and also entertaining comments on software patents and related issues.

If you are new to the topic of software patents and how they influence the software industry – use the links above to find out more, if you are interested in contributing to the work of FTISA – visit the site or contact the OpenCafe team for more information.