[Linux-aus] Research Project

[Pia Smith]

On Thu, 2004-11-25 at 02:08 +1100, Anand Kumria wrote:
<snip>
> Bottom-line:
> 	3 x $5k (cash)
> 	3 x $8k (in kind)
> 
> 	~$40k in direct costs?
> 
> 	Not including accomodation and/or transport of nominated
> 	individuals which I easily imagine at roughyl $5K/yr.
> 
> 	all up ~$55k.

No... All up $15k cash from LA, plus 12 days effort a year, from various
people interested in participating.

<snip>

> What is the ROI on this research project, would be one of my starting
> questions.
> 
> I believe a more effective was to spend this kind of money would be to 
> take a $1000 ad in say, The Australian IT section, for a year pointing 
> out the problems with Patents, Copyright Law, Trademark Law and Trade 
> Secrets and what impact they have on Free Software.

I guess I see the worth here in that we have serious
lawyers/intellectuals/industry types doing a proper independent
investigation into the existing IP systems. When LA talk, what we say is
taken very much with a grain of salt. What will come out of this
research project will be a high profile look at the issues, and with
some input to the project, we can hopefully ensure that they don't do
the wrong thing. Imagine if one of the outcomes of this project was that
serious reform needed to be made to the Australian software patents
system? Or that Australian developers were being negatively impacted. At
least then we have something quantifiable rather than just the rhetoric
of the moment. Rusty may have more to add to the discussion.

> Considering that the project research proposal was pitched at business,
> even though the topic is important, I don't think the research project
> is a good fit for Linux Australia.

I think that because the issue at hand is a direct concern for many
people in our community, having a community voice in such a project is
vital to our issues being aired. Just having business voices in such
discussions is what has brought us so far down the dark path to start.
We need to ensure we use our voice proactively, and stop just being
reactionary.

Pia
-- 
Pia Smith
President of Linux Australia
http://linux.org.au