Professors and Companies Speak against Software Patents in Verona
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On May 26th 2005, a conference on software patents took place at the University of Verona. The meeting was co-organised by the University of Verona and FFII. Ante Wessels, speaking for FFII, explained that the Council needs a strong counter-point from the Parliament in order to be able to find a Common Position that really represents its members' will. There were about 50 people, mostly students, some smes, a petition was signed. Gregorio Piccoli, a representative of Zucchetti, a company with 1500 employees, spoke out against software patents.
Organization was done by Davide Quaglia !PhD and Prof Vittorio Murino of Verona University.
FFII thanks Lorenzo Grespan, who took the initiative for this all.
Piccoli speech
Piccoli made a nice joke: he said Einstein used to work for the Patent Office, but since then quality has dropped.
Dalle Vedove
Professor Giampaolo Dalle Vedove, University of Verona, expressed his doubts about software patents.
Ante Wessels: Council is talking about software patents directive again
Ante Wessels of FFII/Vrijschrift mentioned the fact that the Council is talking about the software patents directive too again, at the end:
- "What most people don't know, the directive is at the moment also being discussed in the Council. The Council is talking with the European Parliament. What position should the Council take? And, what position should members of the Council, like the Italian government, take? The Council reached an outspoken common position, in which it does not believe any more. There were parliamentary motions in the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, there are seven unilateral declarations. The Council should not support its common position. Without strong European Parliament amendments an extreme directive will become law, an extreme directive in which the Council itself does not believe any more. The council has to stimulate the European Parliament to make clear amendments to prevent this, to keep the lawmaking process going. Without this, within a few months we will have an extreme directive."
Organisational Details
In case of questions about how to reach Verona or the University, or about places to stay overnight near the University, please contact Lorenzo Grespan (lorenzo.grespan@gmail.com)
- Place and Time: Aula Verde 10-12
To reach the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences via web: http://www.scienze.univr.it/fol/main
- By car: The address is Strada Le Grazie, 37100 Verona - Italy. Highway exit: "Verona SUD", A4 Milano - Venezia.
- By train: From the Verona Porta Nuova Train Station: bus no. 21 direction "Palazzina - Borgo Roma".
- By plane: Nearest airport is Verona Villafranca (VRN); cheap airlines land in Milan Bergamo (approx. 1hour from Verona), Venezia Marco Polo and Venezia Treviso (1,5 hour from Verona).