The unelected European Commision, under the Microsoft-sponsored Irish presidency, has voted in favour of software patents. This is despite the European commission (the elected government) voting against them
Software patents sound like they protect people’s ideas but they don’t. They stifle competition, reduce choice and as more and more of our business and culture becomes digital, they impose a burden of cost and control on our day-to-day lives.
See FFII for what we can still do to stop this idiocy.