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m →External links: interesting link (hang on, I'm working on the above POV/proof issues, just found this jem while gathering cites) |
→Benefits of free software: the community is not monolithic, it is unified. Added new section (still working on it) : ==Postions from the community== |
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[[Patent]]s, in the field of [[software]], are seen by the [[free software community]] as being a problem. {{lopsided}} <!-- Is the "free software community" that monolithic? --> In response, various mechanisms have been tried to defuse [[software patent|patents involving software]]. Some with a degree of success, others have met with debate and derision. These mechanisms highlight the view among vocal anti-"[[software patent]]" campaigners that the [[software patent debate]] is a black and white issue and that any patent involving or that might cover software is, without question, bad.<ref>[http://www.ifso.ie/documents/rms-2004-05-24.html The Dangers of Software Patents], Richard Stallman 2004, "Allowing someone to patent building a signaling machine to display lights to tell a train what to do, okay, I'm not an expert on how to run railways, but such a general patent that would cover what goes on in software would have to be rejected, or else we have to perhaps say we would have to say that it doesn't apply to the software."</ref>
==Postions from the community==
Community leaders such as [[Richard Stallman]]<ref>[http://www.ifso.ie/documents/rms-2004-05-24.html]</ref>, [[Alan Cox]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=15#patents
|title=Alan Cox on software patents
|date=2005-08-01
|}}</ref>, and [[Bruce Perens]]<ref>[]</ref>, and companies such as Red Hat <ref>[http://www.redhat.com/legal/patent_policy.html]</ref> have worked to raise awareness of the problems of software patents for free software. Other visible community figures have also condemned software patents. [[Linus Torvalds]] is one example, and while he didn't get involved in the campaign against software patents, he did put his name to a joint letter with [[Alan Cox]] against software patents<ref>.[http://www.effi.org/patentit/patents_torvalds_cox.html]</ref>
==Benefits of free software==
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