Richard Stallman to speak on software patents at free London event

FOR IMMEDIATE USE: 17 May 2004

WHAT: Richard Stallman to speak in London on software patents
WHERE: Lecture Theatre 1, Cruciform Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1.
WHEN: 6-7pm, Friday 21 May 2004.

ORGANISED BY: The Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR) in association with the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) and Campaign for Digital Rights (CDR)

HOSTED BY: UCL Department of Computer Science

World-renowned free software expert Richard Stallman is to speak this Friday in central London on the ongoing battle over software patents. Stallman, head of the Free Software Foundation, has recently been working to preserve freedom in software design in Vietnam, Peru, Brazil and India as well as Europe and the US.

Software patents are extremely controversial in the US, where they have been granted on simple software techniques and cause many problems for small businesses and software developers. The resulting reduction in innovation and competition has had serious effects for all computer users. Over 33,000 Europeans have signed a EuroLinux petition against software patents.

The EU's national governments are currently attempting to over-rule a vote in the European Parliament that would have stopped such harmful patents being granted in the EU. They are due to agree this week on a proposal that would abandon the amendments made to the Software Patent Directive by the Parliament last September.

Come and hear the latest news from the front line in the fight to preserve the freedom to develop and use software!

Directions are available here; nearest Tube stations are Warren Street and Euston.

Contact for enquiries:

Ian Brown
Director
Foundation for Information Policy Research
ian@fipr.org
07970 164 526 (from outside the UK: +44 7970 164 526)

Notes for editors

1. The Foundation for Information Policy Research (http://www.fipr.org) is an independent body that studies the interaction between information technology and society. Its goal is to identify technical developments with significant social impact, commission and undertaken research into public policy alternatives, and promote public understanding and dialogue between technologists and policy-makers in the UK and Europe.