Something worth fighting against

I've been angry about software patents for some time now, since I heard about VideoLan Client being threatened with removal due to supposedly transgressing software patents. VLC is an incredibly useful little application that plays a lot of media types that Quicktime, for instance, can't open. I suggest you read a little bit about why software patents are basically a completely spurious way of getting rich based on someone else's work, and these patents ultimately stifle innovation in small IT companies.

So, today I read about this idiot Mr Keung and his patent. What the guy has done there is to try and patent the idea of putting in a password to access something remotely that you've paid for. This nonsense has got to stop.

If you're so inclined, write to your MEP. I haven't done it yet, but I'm pretty sure I will at some point, because this is something of gravity for anyone who makes regular use of computers.

While I'm thinking of democracy, I think I'll also put up a link to www.faxyourmp.com, an awesome service that allows you to contact your MP directly in a speedy way, for free. Pretty cool, I'd say.