patents

Hello,


As a web developers and programmer of web-based applications,
I want to let you know that I oppose the proposed "RAND" patents
for W3C technologies.

The reason I try to strictly adhere to W3C standards is because
I believe in an open environment, and a level playing field for
competition in the WWW.

The *point* of such competition is : may the best product or
service win. This is ultimately in the best interest of all
our customers.

If a company wants to diverge from the industry standard, 
thinking they can do it better using a patented method, then
so be it. If they make a better product in the end, they have
served customers better.

Anyone could, of course, use the standards as a *base*, and 
implement their patented methods on top of these, so I
do not see how allowing these patented methods in the
standards themselves is going to change interoperability
issues.

Since I do not want to use patented methods for my
customers, however, I will still provide for their need
somehow, and diverge from the standard as a matter of
principle, cost and service to my customer, should
this proposal come to pass.

It is already an uphill battle to acheive open, free,
standard interoperability, but I ( and many others, 
I am sure you know by now ) believe that it is well
worth the effort.

I will NOT be exerting this effort if I have to pay
a company that I disagree with ( why else would I
be championing the W3C's efforts, if I liked the
software that is available from most vendors right
now? ).



Thank you,
Rob Helmer
Namodn