Re: [pgsql-advocacy] Software Patents

On 4/22/05, Andreas Pflug <pgadmin(at)pse-consulting(dot)de> wrote:
> >> Is this a vote? I agree with you on that it's a very important issue,
> >> and that it deserves a lot more than a news item.
> +1 Vote from me. I don't see a reason why the PostgreSQL community
> should hide their opinion on swpats, esp. since it already did hit us.
> Our position should be stated at least as prominent as /about/licence.

Well, I am for any kind of statement that PostgreSQL is against
Software patents. It does not need to be a direct link to FFII or EFF.

I think there should be a link/button "PostgreSQL's standpoint on
software patents issue". And under it there would be our page
describing our problem with ARC patent, how we dealt with it
and why. Plus links to anti-patent organisations.

We don't need to say explicitly that we are against software patents.
It is sufficient to say that PostgreSQL as a project will avoid patents
rather than seek contracts with patent-holders. And that PostgreSQL
Project will not try to issue patents since we feel that it is against
BSD way of life.

ARC patent is a good sample to indirectly say what we all agree on:
* PostgreSQL will not use patented algorithms. Only case when we
will consider using patents is when they are in accord with BSD
spirit.
* PostgreSQL will not patent algorithms. Since we are BSD projects,
we are doing it for the people. If we create something new, we would
like others to follow, and we would like be able to follow good ideas
from others as well.
* PostgreSQL will not try to make deals with patent holders (like
IBM). We think that while they may be friendly towards us, they may
be not towards companies relicensing our software (commercialized
PostgreSQL versions), and we feel it should not be so. We don't do it
because we don't like patent holders, it is because we care about
PostgreSQL users.
* PostgreSQL will not use known-patented ideas, for the reasons
above. So even if some ideas are great and well documented we cannot
use them, for the sake of PostgreSQL's and PostgreSQL-related
companies legal safety.

I think it would be feasible and most community members would agree upon
something like this. We don't say 'we will fight with patents to death', but we
state 'we are avoiding patents as much as we can, we have no other choice'.

Regards,
Dawid