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    {\large\bf Software Patents --\\[3pt]
    A Threat for Small and Medium IT companies}

    \medskip

    You develop software. Your flexibility and your good ideas are your
    most important asset. You hold the copyright on several man years of
    development work.

    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}
    \begin{center}
      \bf
      This may soon be taken away from you!
    \end{center}
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}

    Does your software contain any of the following ideas?
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}
    \begin{itemize}
      \setlength{\itemsep}{-\smallskipamount}
      \item Dialogs as tabbed palettes
      \item Progress bars
      \item Creation of GIF or ZIP files
      \item Computer-theft protection in a network
      \item A window that can only be opened once
      \item \dots\ (another 30\,000 European software patents)
    \end{itemize}
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}

    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}
    \begin{center}
      \bf
      If this is the case, you could become liable for\\
      patent violation.
    \end{center}
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}

    Independent development does not protect you, because patents apply
    to \emph{ideas}, not to specific implementations.
    There are already about 30\,000 European patents on fundamental ideas
    and established standards in the hands of a few big companies.
    It is \emph{impossible} to write programs without violating these
    patents.
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}
    \begin{center}
      \bf
      We demand that these patents be checked\\
      for their legal validity.
    \end{center}
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}

    There are plans for introducing a new EU directive, which would
    legalize these patents. The EU parliament will vote on this
    legislation on September 24, 2003.

    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}
    \begin{center}
      \bf
      We demand that the suitability of the directive's
      draft be checked against practical examples.
    \end{center}
    \vspace{-1.5\medskipamount}
% mit Logo
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       \begin{flushright}
         \strong{Support the FFII!}\\[\smallskipamount]
         \strong{http://swpat.ffii.org}
       \end{flushright}
      \end{minipage}}
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    \smallskip
    \tiny F\"orderverein f\"ur eine Freie Informationelle Infrastruktur e.\,V.
    \hfill Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure
   \end{minipage}}

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