| A global petition designed to raise awareness of software patents was
launched this week as part of the World Day against Software Patents.
Currently in draft format, the petition includes information about how
software patents can affect business, research and development.
The Stop Software Patents organisation is asking interested parties to
comment, and anyone who signs the petition now will be asked to fill in
an amended version at a later date. The effort is supported by a
coalition of more than 80 software companies, associations and
developers in a bid to put an end to patents being awarded to software.
'Insufficient economic evidence supports an application of the patent
system on software. But most studies hint that software patent regimes
restrain innovation,' the coalition argues. |