From: brao@pollux.usc.edu (Bapa Rao)
Subject: CFP: Conference on Intellectual Property Rights in Software
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 01:27:24 GMT



		      CALL FOR PAPERS 

		 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS 
		IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND THEIR 
		IMPACT ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

Organized by 
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR 
INFORMATION PROCESSING (IFIP WG9.4) and 
COMPUTER SOCIETY OF INDIA (CSI) 
in cooperation with 
INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS (IE) 
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE (IISc) 

DATE: Fri 20-21, Aug 1993

VENUE:  Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore INDIA

BACKGROUND

Since the landmark judgement on a software-related invention in 1981
in the US, and the many litigations involving user interface
copyrights, the issue of intellectual property in software has become
crucial. This has become all the more important since the beginning of
Uruguay Round of the GATT talks in 1987, where the issue of protection
of intellectual property has been debated in a general setting.  Most
recently (late 1991), the Secretary General of GATT (Arthur Dunkel)
has proposed a draft (the Dunkel Draft Text - DDT) for consideration
by the world community.

The question of intellectual property in computer software is not well
understood, and DDT contains many new proposals that affect this area
and that may have far reaching effects in the future. This conference
has been proposed as a venue for examining the issue of intellectual
property in software and its impact on developing countries. This has
become very pressing as many developing countries are hoping to
generate jobs and exports through computer software.

THE CHOICES BEFORE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The sophistication of a nation's information economy determines how
effectively its physical resources are utilised.  Information
technology is important in effecting a mature information economy.
Productivity software that is used in developed countries is much too
expensive for use in most developing economies.  If such software is
to be developed in developing countries due to cost reasons, it has to
conform with standard interfaces and also respect intellectual
property rights extant at the time. These requirements make such
software costlier or harder to develop. The DDT proposals make
contracting governments responsible for enforcing these rights. Hence,
it is crucial to investigate the choices before developing countries
in the area of intellectual property rights.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR INFORMATION PROCESSING (IFIP)
IFIP has set up a working group (IFIP WG9.4) called ``Social
Implications of Computers in Developing Countries'' with the objective
of promoting discussion of information technology issues relevant to
developing countries.

The proposed conference, in line with this objective, is to be
organized by IFIP WG9.4 and the Computer Society of India in
cooperation with Institution of Engineers and Indian Institute of
Science.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Papers are invited on, but not limited to, the following topics:
 	How well is the existing IPR regime in software currently working in 
		developed and developing countries?
	Do developing countries need alternative IPR regimes?
	Comparative evaluation and impact on a country's economy of different 
		patent regimes: cost of IPR to developing economies
	Creation, classification and access to software patent databases: 
		Issues and various attempts
	Current defensive techniques for avoiding IPR difficulties
	Landmark legal case studies of IPR disputes and their resolution
	Case studies of the workings of national patent offices in the area 
		of software: developed and developing countries
	Impact of Dunkel proposals in developed and developing countries
	Nature and distribution of software patents and actual ownership:
		Cross-licensing
	Perspectives of established software companies in developed countries
		wrt developing countries in the area of IPR
	Licensing of technologies to developing countries: current and 
		past experience
	High cost of productivity software: Strategies and options for
		developing countries. 
	Control of unauthorised duplication of software in developed and 
		developing countries: Strategies and options
	Strategies and options for developing countries post-Dunkel:
		Manpower training?
	Impact of ``open systems'' like IBM PC for world economy: Free Software
		Foundation and other efforts at universities for ``ftp''able
		software
	IPR in automatically generated code
	Philosophical/equity issues in assigning IPR to ``common property 
		resources''
	Case studies of how IPR were articulated and enforced in new
		technologies in the past
	Similarities and differences with IPR in other areas like biotechnology

E-mail submission is strongly encouraged, esp. in Latex / Wordstar
format.  (All e-mail submissions will be acknowledged - please remail
if there is no ack.) If e-mail facility is not available, authors
should submit five copies of the manuscript in A4 size paper not
exceeding 20 pages.  Papers will be selected through a referral
process.  The proceedings of the conference will be published by North
Holland under an arrangement with IFIP.

Authors should correspond with:
	K. Gopinath, Asst. Prof.
	Computer Science & Automation (CSA), 
	Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
	Bangalore 560012 INDIA 
     Telex: 0845-8349 IISc IN   Fax: 091-0812-341683 
     e-mail: ipr@maitreyi.csa.iisc.ernet.in 

PROGRAM COMMITTEE (tentative):
J. Reichman (Vanderbilt)
RM Stallman (FSF)
R. Narasimhan (CMC, India)
P. Samuelson (Pittsburgh/CACM)
BK Chandrasekhar (IIMB, India)
D.S. Karjala, Arizona (US) / Max Planck (Germany)
R. Heeks (Open Univ, UK)
K. Gopinath (IISc, India)

IMPORTANT DATES FOR AUTHORS
	Full Paper 		May 1, 1993
	Acceptance notice 	June 15, 1993
	Final manuscript	July 15, 1993

TECHNICAL PROGRAMME
The conference, a mix of invited and contributed papers and panel
discussions, will be of 2 days duration.  All sessions will be
plenary. The official language of the conference will be English.

REGISTRATION
The registration fee is Rs. 600 / $100 which will cover lunches and
teas. Participants from developing countries may apply for subsidy
>from the registration committee. About 100 participants are expected.

ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation arrangements should be made directly by participants. It is 
expected that some housing will be made available in the Institute
Guest House. Details will be made available later. 

BANGALORE
The weather in Bangalore in August is mild and pleasant. The state of
Karnataka has many attractions in terms of wildlife and architecture.
Arrangements can be made for those desiring to visit interesting sights.

ENQUIRIES:
Please mail the following information to (preferably by e-mail): 
	K. Gopinath, Asst. Prof.
	Computer Science & Automation (CSA), 
	Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
	Bangalore 560012 INDIA
     Telex: 0845-8349 IISc IN   Fax: 091-0812-341683
     e-mail: ipr@maitreyi.csa.iisc.ernet.in

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