Microsoft and Skype disagree about software copyright

The debate about software copyright and intellectual property rights between Microsoft and Skype has heated the atmosphere at the European Leadership Forum (ELF).

Speaking at the 2005 ELF Forum just held in London, Chairman of Microsoft EMEA, Microsoft's Business Unit for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Neil Holloway said investments in the facility. Microsoft intellectual property must be legally protected. This is also the opinion of most of the major software providers in the world.

However, Skype, the VoIP service provider, was acquired by eBay in September 2005 with a deal worth up to $ 2.6 billion, not sharing that view. 'Software copyright is currently hindering technological innovation. Copyright should only be granted when there is a real technological improvement and a real investment in that improvement. '- Niklas Zennström, Skype's CEO, said.

Major software vendors have now submitted hundreds of copyright registration documents and thousands of exclusive certificates issued annually. But in fact, not all cases of copyright registration are to protect intellectual property rights, but in many cases companies want to abuse this as an effective bargaining tool. to force competitors to buy back their registered licenses for profit purposes.

Skype's point of view is always to allow software developers and technology to develop their products on the Skype platform. Concurrent with Skype, Matt Bross - British Telecom's Commonwealth Telecom (CTO) president - said British Telecom's view of software copyright in particular and intellectual property in general has been very many changes compared to before. The company's Martlesham Research Center welcomes the participation of research experts from other companies working with British Telecom's Research - Development experts. This is considered the best way to advance into the future of technology.

Ba Lam