Tuesday, May 22, 2007

AGAINST PATENTS

Knowledge is eternal, it is like the water that flows. It should not be stopped by the interest of few. For every new creation, innovation, design, etc., I am also accountable to all those who have contributed for my thinking and knowledge, both living and non-living things in the universe.
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Open Source Technology: A movement that each individual or organization / s develop technology for common good with out expecting profit (or patenting).
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The whole world is growing at a rapid phase in all aspects and the requirements of better and efficient technologies are growing. The natural creations are the ultimate sources of sustenance of life on earth. The ecology is unable to sustain the needs of the human beings and human beings are not cleaver enough to copy and replicate nature in spite of so much science and technological progress. The very few technological innovations created by humans are also not accessible to all because of the following main two reasons.
  • Self interest – name, fame, money, etc.
  • Investment made for creation of the innovation

This holding of the knowledge is a hurdle for those who could think similarly, but are not able to contribute because of Patents. It is not good to hold knowledge and not be able to share in the public domain when it is pertinent to the whole world. If the knowledge is held as patent, there are three options 1. Use of knowledge by the creator 2. Share the knowledge with others 3. Sleep over the knowledge thinking that some day, I will use it. Majority of the times point 3 is in practice, for which there is no action of any kind against the person who is doing that.

We are accountable to our future generations first, because they would pay our current expenses and we are only paying the meager bills of our forefathers. Because this is a credit world and we enjoy present future costing our future generations. 

The world wide web and internet are the greatest communication tools of this century. In the history of mankind, the creation of digital world is unique and it would continue. The physical libraries are becoming redundant. The access to knowledge is not limited it is simply see, copy, create and understand. The copyrights and patents are at stake. Is there any method to prevent this? No it is not possible; nobody can fight battles in so many countries. It is better to declare an innovation as open source technology and declare as creative commons or open source technology / hardware. Let us expand beyond boundaries by sharing. Sharing gives freedom to oneself and to the whole world, i.e., Freedom of oneness, belief, expression, security etc. It gives immense satisfaction when we share, while we are alive, less meaning after death. 

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Open source technology is all about solidarity and concern for this earth.

This spirit of Open Source Technology / Creative Commons has helped GEO reach about 500 people every day, through websites created and accessed for Knowledge on the aspects GEO is working, i.e., ENVIRONMENTAL, CLIMATE CHANGE, NATURAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES - AGRICULTURE, TERRA PRETA, WATER, ENERGY, SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS, DISASTER MITIGATION AND RESPONSE, and INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. 

- Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, CEO, GEO