What you can do right now

Help us document the case against software patents: swpat.org – the software patents wiki.

If you operate a web site that does not rely on patents to succeed, then let your users know with one of these buttons.

How to End Software Patents

There are two direct ways that we can end the patenting of software in the USA and worldwide. One way is through legal action, and the other is through legislative action. We aim to support work on both. But both ways depend upon education, and that is the primary work of ESP.

Legal Action

Is your organization involved in a software patent litigation, or do you represent a victim of a software patent claim? We are looking for appropriate cases to help advance, though unfortunately, only a few cases are likely to be suitable. At the very least we can help give voice to your situation, and help expose the harm being done to you and the community your organization serves.

Legislative Action

We need your voice and your willingness to campaign with us. Legislative action, especially in the USA can be very difficult. Software patents are held by some of the largest and most influential corporations, and they spend millions of dollars on lobbying. But, politicians change and so does political will. Please sign-up to our mailing list to hear more.

Educate Others

There is a resistance to change. Many corporations say they only hold software patents for defensive purposes, and still agree with us that software patents do harm. So here we have an opportunity to help them live up to their word.