[Linux-aus] Rare opportunity on software patents

[Ben Sturmfels]

Hi Folks,

The Australian government is requesting comments in a review of 
"innovation patents". Submissions close *this Friday* 14 October. This 
is a rare opportunity to be heard.

Please write to <mail.acip at ipaustralia.gov.au>, explaining the problems 
of software patents and pointing out that "innovation patents" are the 
same, but worse. (I've added some notes below to help get you started.)

Important:
  1. Please focus on software patents only, not patents in general.
  2. Please BCC to <swpat at sturm.com.au>.
  3. Try get your colleagues and organisation to co-sign.

For more on the campaign, please visit:
http://endsoftpatents.org/australia.

The ACIP review:
http://www.acip.gov.au/reviews.html#patsys

Thanks for your help.

Regards,
Ben Sturmfels


Ideas for your email
====================
Please feel free use your own words and ideas too.

FYI: "Innovation patents" came about in 2000 as a replacement for "petty 
patents". They have a term of 8 years (std. patents 20 years), minimal 
examination and much lower barrier of "inventiveness" - easy to get, 
just as hard to defeat.

Intro ideas: software patents in general
----------------------------------------
  - you're in the software industry

  - patents on computation and information processing do the opposite of 
promoting innovation

  - harmful to both software industry and society

  - as such should be abolished

  - you're one of the thousands who signed the paper petition to the 
House of Representatives calling for this

Body ideas: "innovation patents" are the same but worse
-------------------------------------------------------
  - pose all the same risks as standard patents

  - are worse because they have lower requirements for examination and 
inventiveness

  - should also be abolished

Closing ideas:
--------------
  - you wish you'd been aware of the 2009 Review of Patentable Subject 
Matter so you could have commented on that too