I hear you, Richard!
There are times that I’m ashamed to be a European. Especially today. European politics are a fraud, pretending to represent the people. Pretending. Those with real power aren’t the voters. Real power comes with money. The mantra of the free market is still omnipresent in European politics and the only ones really benefitting are large companies. Of which most retired politicians happen to become chief commissioners…
Today is another day that aggrevates me. The European Commission, again, advised to introduce software patents in the EU. Technically they perhaps didn’t, but as Richard Stallman explains, the effects are still disastrous. For everyone of us. There is one spark of hope left: the European Parliament. Richard asked everyone to contact their representatives in the Parliament and that is exactly what I’m going to do. I don’t care if it is insignificant. The dutch parliament rejected software patents, so those European CDA, VVD, D66 and PvdA representatives better do what they’re supposed to do: vote off those patent laws, so that everyone can develop their software without being restrained by some ridiculous patent. All those dutch politicians brag about our “kenniseconomie” (knowledge economy), so this is a nice moment to see whether they’re truthful or not…
Makes me wonder though… If they can only see “knowledge economy” and not a “knowledge society” then it’s quite logical they do not understand the intelectual freedom issues with software patents. I don’t think this mindset will change much until programming is on equal footing with reading, writing, and arithmetic in elementary schools.
Hmm, knowledge economy meaning knowledge for economical powers wasn’t my interpretation…good point though, this could be a good point to use during next year’s election campaigns ;) .