Plan for End Software Patents Website for 2024

Policy
1

Thanks to Mythili Srinivasamurthy for helping us put together this plan. If there are volunteers interested in being part of this effort, please reach out to us at policy@fossunited.org

1. Purpose

The number of software patents issued in India is increasing year by year, which will lead to a situation in which power will be concentrated in the hands of a few. The global FOSS community has been opposed to software patents because they are against user freedoms and developer freedoms. However, there is a lack of awareness among developers, policy makers and the larger public on this issue. The purpose of creating endsoftwarepatents.in is to raise our voice against the practice of granting software patents in India.

2. Goal

To bring awareness and educate people outside the FOSS community and public at large on the problems and adverse consequences around patenting of software through regular content on the website.

3. Content Creation

To ensure that the website reaches the masses at large, it is crucial we regularly publish engaging content on the website. For the benefit of the readers and users, it would be best to categorise the content posted on the website into different sections. To begin with, we can start with the following sections on the website:

  1. Fortnightly Analysis
  2. Top Stories
  3. Blog
  4. Publication
  5. Interview
  6. Videos

3.1 Fortnightly Analysis

This section on the website shall include the analysis of all the weekly journals released by the Patents Office every Friday. Since the scope of work under this section is vast and ongoing, it is recommended that we have a dedicated team to work on content under this section alone.

Standard Format of Analysis

In addition to having a dedicated team, it is also significant that we create a standard format of analysis that is going to be published. A standard format is extremely essential for the following:

  1. It standardises the process of creating blogs/ reports
  2. It helps the team in narrowing down on the data that is to be analysed
  3. It makes it easy for the readers to go through the material every fortnight

Timelines

Irrespective of the volume of data published in Journals, the team shall see to it that the blog/ report is published on the website every fortnight. In case there are no software patents applied for or granted during the fortnight, a nil report can be published.

3.2 Top Stories

This section would comprise news updates and trending stories from across the globe on issue of software patents. This could range from new regulations brought out by governments, issues brought out by different organisations or individuals, events being organised, statements released by different organisations or individuals etc.

3.3 Blog

This section would comprise blogs authored by industry experts, researchers, academicians, working professionals, students and others. The content posted under this section would be exclusive material written for the website. Since we are still in the early stage of the website, it would be ideal if we could publish a minimum of 1 blog per month under this section.

To start with this, it would therefore be important for us to secure confirmation for blogs for the next 6 months. To begin, we can start by reaching out to people from our network to contribute. With time, we can expand by calling for blogs for contributions from others.

Some of the topics could be:

  1. AI and software patents

  2. How software patents affect developer freedoms

  3. Recent software patent cases (Ferid Allani etc) and how they impact Indian industry

  4. Software patents and the ecommerce sector in India

  5. Software patents and online payments

  6. Software patents and other sectors

  7. Defensive Publication websites like www.tdcommons.org

3.4 Publication

This section would comprise reports/ whitepapers/ research articles/ handbooks/ guides published by ESP either independently or in collaboration with others.

3.5 Interview

This section would comprise of interviews conducted by ESP with industry experts, researchers, academicians, working professionals, students and others.

Interviews generally enable people with a platform to discuss and voice out their opinions on certain issues. While there is no dearth of people working on the issue, there are no proper platforms in India that provide people to put in their views about software patenting. In addition to providing a platform, this section will also act as a great start in reaching out to people about the website.

Since there are not too many people with expertise in FOSS and software patents, this will be an occasional feature based on availability of experts.

3.6 Videos

This section would comprise of all the videos wherein members of ESP have featured in interviews/ panel discussions/ seminars/ webinars etc. regarding the issue of software patents.

4. Team

A few individuals have volunteered for this effort and a Telegram group has been formed for this purpose. The responsibilities of each team are broadly described below.

4.1 Fortnightly Analysis

The team shall be responsible for the following:

  1. Analysing and reviewing the weekly journals released by the Patents Office
  2. Creating blogs/ reports based on the analysis
  3. Highlighting important points for promotion on social media

4.2 Content Management

Apart from the section of Weekly Analysis, the Content Management Team shall be responsible for creating and publishing content in all other sections. This shall include the following:

  1. Updating and reviewing all content posted on the website
  2. Coordinating with industry experts, researchers, academicians, working professionals, students and others regarding blogs, publications and interviews

4.3 Social Media and Website Management

The team shall be responsible for the following:

  1. Developing and managing social media pages
  2. Developing and implementing effective SEO strategies to improve website rankings in search engine results pages
  3. Ensuring website functionality and user experience
  4. Monitoring website analytics and performance
  5. Responding to any mails/ comments/ feedbacks received from readers and users

5 Project Summary

5.1 Content Creation

SL NO SECTION DESCRIPTION OF CONTENT TARGET
1 Fortnightly Analysis Analysis of all the weekly Journals released by the Patents Office every Friday. 2 blogs per month
2 Top Stories News updates and trending stories from across the globe on the issue of software patents. As per need
3 Blog Blogs authored by industry experts, researchers, academicians, working professionals, students and others 1 blog per month
4 Publication Reports/ whitepapers/ research articles/ handbooks/ guides published by ESP either independently or in collaboration with others. As per availability
5 Interview Interviews conducted by ESP with industry experts, researchers, academicians, working professionals, students and others. As per availability of experts
6 Video All videos wherein members of ESP have featured in interviews/ panel discussions/ seminars/ webinars etc. regarding the issue of software patents As per need
TOTAL CONTENT MINIMUM 3 POSTS PER MONTH

Interested volunteers, please reach out to us at policy@fossunited.org

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