League for Programming Freedom

body (LPF) A grass-roots organisation of professors,

students, businessmen, programmers and users dedicated to

bringing back the freedom to write programs. Ten years ago,

programmers were allowed to write programs using all the

techniques they knew, and providing whatever features they

felt were useful. This is no longer the case. The new

monopolies, software patents and interface copyrights,

have taken away our freedom of expression and our ability to

do a good job.

"Look and feel" lawsuits attempt to monopolise well-known

command languages; some have succeeded. Copyrights on command

languages enforce gratuitous incompatibility, close

opportunities for competition, and stifle incremental

improvements.

Software patents are even more dangerous; they make every

design decision in the development of a program carry a risk

of a lawsuit, with draconian pre-trial seizure. It is

difficult and expensive to find out whether the techniques you

consider using are patented; it is impossible to find out

whether they will be patented in the future.

The League is not opposed to the legal system that Congress

intended -- copyright on individual programs. Our aim is to

reverse the recent changes made by judges in response to

special interests, often explicitly rejecting the public

interest principles of the Constitution.

The League works to abolish the new monopolies by publishing

articles, talking with public officials, boycotting egregious

offenders, and in the future may intervene in court cases. On

1989-05-24, the League picketed Lotus headquarters on

account of their lawsuits, and then again on 2 August 1990.

These marches stimulated widespread media coverage for the

issue. We welcome suggestions for other activities, as well

as help in carrying them out.

Membership dues in the League are $42 per year for

programmers, managers and professionals; $10.50 for students;

$21 for others. The League's funds will be used for filing

briefs; for printing handouts, buttons and signs; whatever

will persuade the courts, the legislators, and the people.

You may not get anything personally for your dues -- except

for the freedom to write programs. The League is a non-profit

corporation, but not considered a tax-exempt charity.

However, for those self-employed in software, the dues can be

a business expense.

The League needs both activist members and members who only

pay their dues. We also greatly need additional corporate

members; contact us for information.

Jack Larsen is President, Chris Hofstader is Secretary, and

Steve Sisak is Treasurer.

Home .

Telephone: [phone].

E-mail: [email protected].

Address: League for Programming Freedom, 1 Kendall Square

#143, P.O.Box 9171, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 USA.

(1999-02-18)