The concept of interoperability in European Union law – An analysis in competition law and intellectual property law

The technology industry and even open source projects are heavily based on intellectual property rights, such as the copyright protection for software. In a rapidly changing technological and legal landscape, it can be difficult to find a proper balance between the enforcement of software copyright and alternative considerations such as safeguarding interoperability. This is illustrated by presenting and analysing cases from competition law and copyright law, with a focus on the abuse of a dominant position under Article 102 and the scope of protection of software under Directive 91/250. On this legal basis and supported by economic literature, the current situation and its development is presented, where market conditions that favour monopolies and inherent network-effects can present a challenge for interoperability, a concept that is instrumental for a functioning technological landscape, especially for Free and Open Source Software. While there are already some safeguards in place with regard to Directive 91/250 as is shown by such cases as SAS or BSA, these leave a considerable degree of legal uncertainty. As such, especially with regard to the Commission’s plan to potentially legislate in this area based on Article 118 TFEU as part of Agenda 2020 and the initiative for a single digital market, the concept of interoperability information should be safeguarded and recognized more expressly

New Iterative Algorithms for Weighted Matching

Matching is an important combinatorial problem with a number ofpractical applications. Even though there exist polynomial time solutionsto most matching problems, there are settings where these are too slow.This has led to the development of several fast approximation algorithmsthat in practice compute matchings very close to the optimal.The current paper introduces a new deterministic approximationalgorithm named G 3 , for weighted matching. The algorithm is based ontwo main ideas, the first is to compute heavy subgraphs of the originalgraph on which we can compute optimal matchings. The second idea isto repeatedly merge these matchings into new matchings of even higherweight than the original ones. Both of these steps are achieved usingdynamic programming in linear or close to linear time.We compare G 3 with the randomized algorithm GPA+ROMA whichis the best known algorithm for this problem. Experiments on alarge collection of graphs show that G 3 is substantially faster thanGPA+ROMA while computing matchings of comparable weight

Seasonal Variation in Fish Assemblages Within the Estuarine Portions of the Myakka and Peace Rivers, Southwest Florida

Juvenile and small adult fish were sampled monthly from 1996 to 2002 in the estuarine portions of the Myakka and Peace rivers, at the northern end of Charlotte Harbor (a relatively pristine estuarine system in southwest Florida). We provide a detailed description of the fish faunas in these areas, including seasonal assemblage structure. Seasonal cycles in assemblage structure were evident. Nearshore (to ~5 m) fish assemblages sampled by seine were separated into three main seasonal groups by cluster analysis (January-April, May-September, September-January). The ichthyofauna collected from deeper (≥1.8 m) areas by otter trawl formed two seasonal groups (June-October and November-March). Small schooling taxa such as Anchoa mitchilli, Menidia spp. and Eucinostomus spp. dominated seine catches, and variations in their abundances contributed greatly to dissimilarities between seasons, as did seasonal recruitment of young-of-the-year (YOY) estuary-dependent species such as Mugil cephalus, Lagodon rhomboides, Leiostomus xanthurus, and Bairdiella chrysoura. Estuarine residents (e.g., A. mitchilli and Trinectes maculatus) and YOY estuary-dependent species (e.g., Cynoscion arenarius and Menticirrhus americanus) were important in defining seasonal dissimilarities in fish assemblages from the trawled areas. Correlations between biotic patterns and environmental factors (water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, precipitation, and river discharge) were relatively low, perhaps reflecting the euryhaline nature of the fish present and their intrinsic spawning periods. The present study provides a detailed description of temporal ichthyofaunal patterns in the estuarine portions of two tidal rivers in southwest Florida and provides a baseline with which future fish populations in this area can be compared

4 puentes sobre el Rin Alemania Federal

This article describes two different ways of carrying out expansion of the number of lanes, from 4 to 6, on a bridge, without having to interrupt traffic: — The bridge with lanes for metropolitan train-trolley and automobiles between the city of Cologne-Deutz (Deutz and Mülheim are very large outskirts of Cologne, to the east of the Rhine), will be expanded between 1977 and 1979 from 4 to 6 lanes by means of an adjacent bridge of similar characteristics. — Another bridge —the suspension bridge for both metropolitan train-trolley and vehicles— existing between Cologne-Riehl and Cologne-Mülheim was expanded between 1974 and 1977 from 4 to 6 lanes of traffic, distributing in a more favorable manner the transversal section with the existing support structure. At the same time the upper part of the bridge was newly paved and reinforced to adapt to the strictest construction standards, in order to avoid future bulging problems.Se describen en este artículo dos maneras diferentes de realizar la ampliación del número de carriles —de 4 a 6— de los puentes, sin necesidad de interrumpir el tráfico. — El puente de vigas mixtas para tranvía-ferrocarril metropolitano y automóviles entre la ciudad de Colonia-Deutz (Deutz y Mülheim son grandes barrios de Colonia, al este del Rin) se ampliará entre los años 1977 y 1979 de 4 a 6 carriles de circulación por medio de uno adyacente de características similares. — Otro puente —el puente colgante para tranvía-ferrocarril metropolitano y vehículos— existente entre Colonia-Riehl y Colonia-Mülheim se amplió entre los años 1974 y 1977 de 4 a 6 carriles de circulación, distribuyendo de modo más favorable la sección transversal con la estructura portante existente. Al mismo tiempo se asfaltó nuevamente la parte superior del puente y se reforzó adaptándose a las normas de construcción más estrictas, con el fin de evitar en el futuro problemas de abolladura

Helipuerto para la Escuela Superior de Medicina Hannover — Alemania Federal

This helicopter landing pad was built for the service of the Higher Medical School of Hannover, on top of an existing concrete car park building. The structure chosen was a fire-galvanized steel beam framework resting on pendular supports and stabilizing portal type frames. Design calculation conforms with DIN 1 055 standard. The Steel structure is completed with a foot bridge and ramp, protection rails, stairways, etc.La pista de aterrizaje para helicópteros, al servicio de la Escuela Superior de Medicina de Hannover, se realizó sobre un aparcamiento de hormigón ya existente. Como estructura portante se eligió un entramado de vigas de acero galvanizado al fuego sobre apoyos pendulares y pórticos estabilizantes. Los cálculos se basan en la norma DIN 1 055. La estructura de acero se completa con el puente de peatones, la rampa de peatones, las barandillas de protección, las escaleras, etcétera

Cubierta de aparcamiento de acero desmontable en Eschborn República Federal Alemana

A two-level car park is described, made of a metal structure, wifi reinforced concrete cladding and units measuring 3.5 x 2.25 x 0.15 m. The structure can be dismantled, with a view to transporting it and adding possible extensions, which constitutes a functional and different characteristic. Currently there is space for 68 vehicles, distributed over an area of 24 x 35 meters.Se describe un aparcamiento de dos niveles, constituido por una estructura metálica, con forjados de hormigón armado a tiase de unidades de 3,5x2,25x0,15 m, con enriñonado posterior. La construcción es desmontable, con vistas a traslados o posibles ampliaciones, lo cual constituye una característica funcional y diferencial. En la actualidad se dispone de 68 plazas, distribuidas en una superficie de 24 x 35 metros

Piscina cubierta integrada en un conjunto de edificios Victorianos - Gran Bretaña

This modem building, housing an in-door swimming pool, blends-in beautifully with the adjacent mid-nineteen Century Victorian railway station. The building has two floors; the ground floor with a 12 X 7 m wading pool, a 25 X 12.5 m competition pool and dressing rooms, while the upper floor houses the lockers, management office, cafeteria, etc. and a terrace enjoying magnificent views. The steel structure was designed avoiding the sternness of modern functionalism in an attempt to make it compatible with architectural environment,Se presenta un edificio moderno, dedicado a piscina cubierta, muy bien encajada con la inmediata estación victoriana de mediados del siglo XIX. Consta de dos plantas: inferior con piscina de no nadadores, de 12 X 7 m, vestuarios y piscina de competición, de 25 X 12,50 m; la planta superior alberga las taquillas, dirección, administración, cafetería, etcétera con una terraza desde la que se disfrutan vistas magníficas. La estructura es metálica y se ha procurado quitarle monotonía, a fin de conjugar el modernismo y funcionalidad, con el entorno no paisajístico y arquitectónico

Puente atirantado, sobre el Rin, con pila en forma de A, Neuwied – Alemania

This 485.60 m long bridge on the Rhein, between Andernach-Weissenthurn and Neuwied, is a tension bridge using a slightly trapezoidal shaped box beam as a deck. The tension ropes are anchored to an A-shaped pile whose main feature is its being positioned lengthwise relative to the bridge. With the purpose of causing the minimum traffic disturbance, the bridge was built some 16.25 m upstream from the highway and then moved this distance down-stream to align it with the traffic lanes.Este puente de 485,60 m de longitud situado sobre el Rin, entre Andernach- Weissenthurm y Neuwied, es un puente atirantado con un dintel de viga-cajón ligeramente trapezoidal. La pila, en forma de A, a la que están anclados los cables presenta la particularidad de estar colocado en la dirección longitudinal del puente. Con objeto de interrumpir el mínimo tiempo posible el tráfico, se realizó primero el puente y después se desplazó unos 16,25 m río abajo

Paso elevado sobre el ferrocarril, en Cannes Francia

This article describes the construction in Cannes of the third section of an overpass bridging a number of railway tracks and platforms, achieving the supression of many curves in the coastal highway and this without Interfering with city traffic. For this third section the construction method chosen was a metal structure, despite the fact that the two previous sections were built in concrete. This overpass section has 15 spans, 14 of them are solved with a grid of welded beams supporting reinforced concrete slabs while the remaining span is a grid of laminated beams on concrete. The total amount of steel used was 3360 Tm, aside from the foundations and decking reinforcements.Se describe en este artículo la construcción, en Cannes, de la tercera fase de un paso elevado realizado sobre andenes y vías de ferrocarril, con el que se consigue eliminar una serle de curvas de la carretera costera y, además, no interferir el tráfico en la ciudad. Para este tercer tramo se eligió la construcción a base de estructura metálica, a pesar de que los dos tramos anteriores eran de hormigón. Se construyeron 15 vanos, de los cuales 14 de ellos llevan un emparrillado de vigas soldadas con losas de hormigón armado y el otro es un emparrillado de vigas laminadas sobre hormigón. El total de acero utilizado fue de 3.360 t sin contar las armaduras de los cimientos y de los tableros

Distribution and Abundance of Introduced Fishes in Florida\u27s Charlotte Harbor Estuary

A growing number of non-native fishes have been introduced into Florida waters in recent years, yet little information has been available on their distribution and abundance in southwest Florida. The ichthyofauna of the Charlotte Harbor estuary, Florida, was intensively sampled from 1989 through 2007. We collected eight introduced fish taxa: African jewelfish (Hemichromis letourneuxi), blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), brown hoplo (Hoplosternum littorale), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus), sailfin catfishes (Pterygoplichthys spp.), spotted tilapia (Tilapia mariae), and walking catfish (Clarias batrachus). These fishes were found principally in tidal rivers, especially the Caloosahatchee River. Other introduced species, such as Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus), blackchin tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron), and pike killifish (Belonesox belizanus), are known to occur in neighboring bay systems but have yet to be reported in the Charlotte Harbor estuary. Continued monitoring will help us detect additional species that are introduced to the estuary, expansions in the ranges of documented species, and assemblage-level changes