Comment on Rand patent policy

Draft of a letter I will be sending to 
www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org regarding issues that can be further 
explained at http://www.zeldman.com and 
http://www.webstandards.org... thanks to Ken for this.

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Just heard about the possibility being considered by the consortium 
to patent certain technologies pertaining to web content delivery.

Whereas I am not familiar with the intricacies and nuances of this 
proposal, and am further unfamiliar with the workings of the 
consortium, I am quite uncomfortable with the idea that a further 
legislative/legal layer be overlaid the internet development process. 
This both from a historical perspective (the initial 
conceptualization of the web was for a free exchange medium) and from 
an enforcement/ jurisdictional point-of-view.

My essential concern has to do with motivation:  is this movement 
toward patenting taking place to protect the future of the internet 
as a (reasonably) unfettered medium of communication, and these 
patents will exist to protect free use,  or is it to accrue benefit 
to commercial or other non-generalized interests?  If the former, a 
compelling argument can indeed be made.  If the latter, I suggest a 
significant rethinking is in order as to the purpose and place of the 
consortium, as it would then seem to be a less-than-impartial body.


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Well... that is what I have so far ;)  Gotta sleep.
-- 
Later... JS

Received on Wednesday, 3 October 2001 23:03:53 UTC