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01/18/06

Can I clarify...I DO EXIST

I have posted below my initial response to Alex Horns (Patent Attorney) interesting comments on my Groklaw article which I have also posted on his blog:

His comments can be found on his very informative blog at http://www.ipjur.com/2006/01/story-time.php3

Alex

Thanks for your constructive comments. I am very real I can assure you of that. I am sorry that my name sounds 'unreal' and I am sorry that you don't agree with my line of reasoning. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, ideas are free to circulate for the benefit of us all (although not if those promoting knowledge patents have their way).

I am disappointed that you might think this is propaganda rather than an article written by a lawyer who unlike many IT lawyers has actually worked with those people that make software, developers. I have listened to their concerns and those of the industry and seen the damaging effects of patent litigation in economic terms (add up the costs alone from the settlements last year in the US) on the industry irrespective of the social and moral problems of locking down ideas.

I do not pretend to be an expert. I recognise that there are many people in this area with much more expertise than me and I am always happy to be proved wrong. I would like to give your detailed comments the consideration time they deserve and where I feel you are right and I am wrong I will be happy to post publically these comments.

Unlike you Alex, I don't derive any income from Patents. The article was written from the heart and in my own time.

As for my blog, it was set up only recently because I have a day job which does not involve making money at the expense of harming long term innovation and I am a part-time blogger and no more.

The reality of a person is not measured by whether they appear on a google search or not. I do exist, I am not a paid puppet of the FFII (unlike certain rather infamous lobbying organisations of pro-software patent organisations) and I am sure my previous employers and also old clients would be happy to provide you with all the "evidence" you need to confirm my existence and also the statements I made in the article about why I wrote the article.

Finally, should this not be sufficient, I would be more than happy to buy you a coffee (I don't think you can expect me to buy you lunch just yet) if you happen to be in my part of the world. I am posting this comment on my blog as I notice 'comment moderation' is activated.

Kind regards

the very real Cristian Miceli

Posted by Cristian at 11:31 AM
Categories: Swpatents

01/16/06

My article is published and other news

Happy new year to everyone.

After several weeks of waiting to see if Computers & Law would publish my article I finally gave up the ghost and asked Pamela Jones of Groklaw if she would publish the same on Groklaw. Well the article is now live:

Here...

The other good news, which I thought made quite interesting timing, was that Sir Robin Jacob, a well-known IP Court of Appeal judge in England came down against software patents in his talk organised by the Society for Computers & Law (who publish Computers & Law) last week in London. For an article discussing what he said, see here

Let's hope 2006 is a year where we put the interests of the IT industry first and the interests of a few second....one can but hope.

Posted by Cristian at 12:22 PM
Categories: Swpatents