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The right to write both non-free and free software is threatened by software patents and by "look-and-feel" interface copyright lawsuits.
The Free Software Foundation fights these threats in many ways. These include support for and being a member of League for Programming Freedom.
The League is a grass-roots organization of professors, students, business people, programmers, users, & even software companies dedicated to bringing back the freedom to write programs. The League isn't opposed to the legal system that Congress intended--copyright on individual programs. The League aims to reverse recent changes made by judges in response to special interests.
The FSF urges you to join us in fighting these threats. Two good ways are to join and/or help the League.
The League is not connected with the Free Software Foundation, and is not concerned with the issue of free software. The FSF supports the League because, like any software developer smaller than Microsoft, it is endangered by software patents, and interface copyrights. You are in danger, too! It would be easy to ignore the problem until you or your employer is sued, but it is more prudent to organize before that happens.
FSF & GNU inquiries & questions to gnu@gnu.org. Other ways to contact the FSF.
Comments on these web pages to webmasters@www.gnu.org, send other questions to gnu@gnu.org.
Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111, USA
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.
Updated: 17 Dec 1998 tower