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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Jack Schofield

EU Software Patents Jeopardise Munich's Linux Migration

"Software patents are considered the greatest danger to the usage and development of Linux and other Free Software. A cursory search revealed that the Linux 'base client', which the city of Munich plans to install on the desktop computers of approximately 14,000 employees, is in conflict with more than 50 European software patents,"reports LinuxElectrons.

"Today Jens Muehlhaus, an alderman from the Green Party, filed two motions in which he calls on the mayor of Munich, the Social Democrat Christian Ude, to contact the federal government of Germany on this matter and to analyse how the EU software patent directive affects Munich's Linux project. The politician, a supporter of open source, warns that patent infringement assertions could take entire departments of the city administration out of operation. Mr. Muehlhaus expresses concern over the future ability of open source software to meet the needs of the city administration if software patents massively hinder its development. Related caveats have been voiced by the SME association CEA-PME and by Deutsche Bank Research."

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