The following is an open letter written by EuroLinux to British Telecom, in response to news that BT has decided to assert that it owns a 14-year-old patent on the technology of hyperlinks . . .

Dear Sirs,

We are impressed to learn that your company “patented the principle of the hyperlink in the mid-70s when people were still wearing kipper ties and flares”. We are also impressed to hear that you have now, in a routine review of your patent portfolio, succeeded in unearthing this asset, which will allow you to reap the rightful benefits from your intellectual property until the year 2006.

As we learnt from a professional patent buster, you will most likely succeed, because there is very little evidence to show your patent was not new or inventive at the time. Congratulations!

Of course there is one limitation which may somewhat reduce the benefit that you can reap: your patent is only valid in the United States. Back in 1989, when this patent was granted in the US, Europe was still committed to protect software through copyright only and to enforce competition in the software industry by putting interfaces and communication standards out of the scope of intellectual property.

But by asserting your patent in the United States, you are doing Europe a great favor in several ways:

1. You will make Internet Services more expensive in the United States, thus giving Europe a competitive advantage in this market. While until now many European websites have bought services from American providers, we may soon see the reverse movement — thanks to British Telecom and thanks to the American Patent System!
   
2. You have supplied us with a brilliant proof on the absurdity of software patents at a time where European legislators are poised to introduce such a system in Europe.

Thank you very much. While wishing you the best success in asserting your rights in the United States, we should like to invite you to join hands with our campaign in order to help saving Europe from a similar fate.

Yours sincerely

Jean-Paul Smets
Hartmut Pilch
Eurolinux Alliance

PS: Of course, we do not think it is very nice to attack US people with your patent. Obviously, this letter is intended to be understood in a sarcastic way. We deeply hope that US will be able to get rid of its current software patent system in order to benefit from a fair information society where attitudes such as the one BT is currently promoting will disappear

Related stories:
BT claims a patent on hyperlinks
Eurolinux petition for a software patent-free Europe

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.