Robert Virkus
CEO of Enough Software

Enough Software supports the movement against software patents, mainly because such patents are only good for crosslicensing large companies, while they are devastating for small and medium sized companies: most companies cannot afford to wait 2 years and to spend 50,000 Euro or more for averting a patent claim. Patents often have broad claims, making violations very easy. This is especially true for idea based areas such as Europe's IT industry. Proponents claim that the Software Patents Directive in its current state does not allow the patenting of software, but it clearly does so by allowing patents to be granted when there is a technical component. A computer is technical, by definition, so this directive will open the floodgates for patents on ideas. The work of the Foundation for Free Information Infrastructure (www.ffii.org) is unvalueable, because Europe simply cannot afford software patents.