Since 2002, plans exist to introduce an unlimited patentibility on computer software in Europe, killing software innovation and Open Source development and distribution, disadvantaging millions of programmers, students, SMEs, Unix users, etc...

On 18 May, the European Council approved the software patents in Europe. However, the proposal to introduce these software patents still needs the approvement by MEPs, one of the last chances to avoid this patent nightmare come true.

The UseBB Project is one of thousands European Open Source projects threathened by software patents. Whatever happens, we will do whatever is possible to make the project to stay alive and to keep offering you one of the best free Open Source PHP/MySQL forum packages.

Links on software patents:
- FFII's website on software patents: http://swpat.ffii.org/
- Action week in May: http://demo.ffii.org/
- Patented European webshop: http://webshop.ffii.org/
- What's bad about software patents: http://kwiki.ffii.org/index.cgi?SwpatArgumentsEn
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--Dietrich (developer)
UseBB roadmap, dev mailing list & weblog