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Patently Outrageous

Published 17:22, 28 November 08

Tags: windows

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Drug companies are blocking or delaying the entry of cheaper generic medicines into the EU, pushing up medicine bills, the European Commission has said.

Their actions cost EU healthcare providers 3bn euros ($3.9bn; £2.5bn) in savings between 2000 and 2007, it said.

But how were they doing that?

Drug firms use "perfectly lawful practices - such as patent portfolios, patent litigation and the release of improved medicines," the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) said.

Ahh, that's what patents are for, then....

Posted by Glyn Moody at 2:19 PM

The Solution to Japanese Whaling

So, ye Japanese whale-eaters, eat this :

Chief medical officers of the Faroe Islands have recommended that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption, because they are toxic - as revealed by research on the Faroes themselves.

The work has revealed damage to fetal neural development, high blood pressure, and impaired immunity in children, as well as increased rates of Parkinson's disease, circulatory problems and possibly infertility in adults. The Faroes data renewed concerns about low-level mercury exposures elsewhere.

Posted by Glyn Moody at 1:18 PM

2008 EuroPointless 100

And the aim of this is precisely what?

PricewaterhouseCoopers, in association with the European National Software and Associations: Europe (ESA), France (AFDEL), UK (BASDA) and Pierre Audoin Consultants as technical advisors, is pleased to present the 2008 EuroSoftware100....

On Open Enterprise blog .

Posted by Glyn Moody at 11:27 AM

Microsoft Gets Busy in the Ukraine

There are so many high-profile battles for the soul of computing going on that it is easy to overlook what is happening in some of the world's by-ways. For example, the Ukraine does not often figure in Western reporting, but that does not mean that Microsoft is not busily trying to lock down that country's computing infrastructure:

«Майкрософт Украина» провела конференцию «Правительство XXI века», посвященную использованию информационных технологий в деятельности органов государственной власти и организации «электронного правительства»

Открывая конференцию, генеральный директор «Майкрософт Украина» Эрик Франке сказал: «У нас есть большой опыт успешного внедрения технологий и инновационных решений компании Microsoft для оптимизации работы правительств многих стран мира. После визита Стива Балмера в Киев в мае этого года мы подписали меморандумы с рядом министерств и ведомств и продолжаем плодотворные переговоры с Госдепартаментом интеллектуальной собственности. Я думаю, что мы на правильном пути».

[Via Google Translate : «Microsoft Ukraine» held a conference «Government XXI century», on the use of information technologies in government and the organization «e-government»

During the conference, experts of Microsoft and Ukrainian partners talked about the strategic campaign to transform public administration through information technology, but also demonstrated the best examples have already implemented projects in Ukraine and abroad. The conference was attended by over 130 representatives from government agencies and organizations, as well as experts from the company Microsoft.

Opening the conference, Director General of «Microsoft Ukraine» Eric Franke said: «We have a long experience of successful technologies and innovative solutions to Microsoft for optimizing performance of many countries in the world. Following the visit of Steve Balmera in Kiev in May this year, we signed MOUs with a number of ministries and departments, and continue fruitful negotiations with the State Department of Intellectual Property. I think we are on the right track»]

If Microsoft's boss in the Ukraine thinks they are on the "right track", this can only mean things are on the

wrong track for free software there. Time to send in RMS....

Posted by Glyn Moody at 10:45 AM

The Outlook for Vista Gets Even Worse

As someone who has been following Microsoft for over 25 years, I remain staggered by the completeness of the Vista fiasco. Microsoft's constant backtracking on the phasing out of Windows XP is perhaps the most evident proof of the fact that people do not want to be forced to “upgrade” to something that has been memorably described as DRM masquerading as an operating system. But this story suggests an even greater aversion....

On Open Enterprise blog .

Posted by Glyn Moody at 10:23 AM

The Fear of Openness...

... strikes again :

A political row erupted last night after counter-terrorism police arrested the shadow Home Office minister, Damian Green, after he published leaked documents allegedly sent to the Tories by a government whistleblower.

George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, told the BBC: "I think it is extraordinary that the police have taken that decision. It has long been the case in our democracy that MPs have received information from civil servants. To hide information from the public is wrong."

This is getting serious .

Posted by Glyn Moody at 9:15 AM