Fees on standars, Patents on standars -> BAD IDEA

I completely agree with Alan Cox article:
 http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-09-30-010-20-OP-CY

It clear to see that using patents on standards is not a good idea:
 - Standards are supposed to be agreed and used for everybody. For the
benefit of everybody. Not the one that made the standard
 - If a standard is constraned by a fee or any other condition. Less
people will be able to use them. So the standard will be less popular.
 - A standard is nothing if it is not popular.

Lawyers will be the only one to get benefit from RAND confusing license.
Everybody can get benefit from works with RF license.

Stop thinking in a commercial way. 
Start thinking about people.

In your page requesting comments you said: "W3C takes no position on the
public policy questions surrounding software patents" That's not true.
If you allow using patents on your works, or on anything necessary for
your standards, you are promoting the use of software patents. 

Thanks,
  Antonio Arauzo 
  University of Granada, Spain (EU)

PD. Sorry for my english.

Received on Thursday, 4 October 2001 14:29:21 UTC