Comments on W3C Patent Policy Framework Working Draft

I am a professional developer working for a large British broadcaster. I also develop free software licenced under GNU GPL and Artistic License.

If W3C begins accepting standards based on RAND-licensed ideas, I believe it will become impossible for me to release free versions of standards-compliant software that can compete with commercial software.

It is difficult to define what would be a reasonable royalty when incorporating RAND-licensed ideas into free software. In commercial software, a small royalty payment could be passed onto the buyer; in free software it would completely preclude distribution.

Please discard this stupid idea.

Nigel Wetters
nigel.wetters@itv.co.uk 
nwetters@cpan.org 
nigel@codekitty.com 




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Received on Tuesday, 2 October 2001 09:57:07 UTC