Disaster! The European Parliament committee responsible for tabling amendments to the directive on the patentability of software rejected most of the good amendments, leaving the hopeless Council text largely unchanged. Although all the rejected amendments can still be tabled in Parliament on the 5th & 6th of July, it's a big slap in the face of the majority of small and medium businesses, individuals and the entire free software community. Apparently the room where the voting took place was full of industry lobbyists.

So this is where you come in. If you're a software developer, or better yet if you own a company or can talk to your company's CEO, take half an hour out to lend weight to the campaign against software patents. We won last time in Parliament, and we can do it again with your help.

The best thing is if you can get your company to file a testimony on the Economic Majority web site. Put in your company's details and allow the FFII to lobby on your behalf over the next couple of weeks. We have people in Brussels and Strasbourg talking to MEPs, but we need your support to convince them.

If you can't get a company to show their support, there are still things you can do. Email supportive MEPs encouraging them to turn out and vote (any greens, far left and far right parties, and most of the mainstream left). Email, then phone conservative/liberal MEPs. Arrange meetings if possible. If you can go out to Brussels/Strasbourg, the FFII may cover your expenses, especially if you can represent a company.

If you talk to an MEP, tell them what organisation represents you - the FFII and/or the FSFE. That way, when activists from these two organisations go and talk to MEPs, the MEPs will know the activists have your backing.

Whatever you do, don't read this, feel concerned and move along to the next web page or blog entry. Take at least half an hour of your time to make a difference.