- From: ozan s. yigit <oz@zonzorp.canada.sun.com>
- Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2001 10:54:37 -0400
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
- cc: ozan.yigit@sun.com
World Wide Web Consortium Patent Policy Working Group www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org To the working group: I'm deeply disturbed by your Patent Policy Framework draft, which went very quietly until recently, and I'm glad that recent uproar generated an extended comment period, so that I can tell you what I think. I doubt that it will make much difference, but here it goes. I strongly object to your RAND licensing option in the proposed policy. In a working group dominated by organizations that have vested interest in such an option, it is not surprising to see it come about. What is surprising is that W3C will lend its yet untarnished name behind a scheme that discourages open source and free software developers, the primary engine that drove Web to where it is today. As a free software developer of two decades, I'm certainly discouraged by this policy, and if it gets accepted, I will not want to have anything to do with any W3C technology beyond those that has a royalty-free licensing model. IETF work is already riddled with Patent claims, and we as the developers have to walk a minefield constantly. The saving grace is that many patent holders agree to grant royalty-free license to all parties implementing the related drafts, subject to reciprocity of the licensed parties. W3C can and should avoid this mess, and choose a clean policy directed to benefit all, without licensing fees and associated legal games. I don't know if you remember, but your W3 moniker stands for WORLD Wide Web, not WEALTHY Wide Web! W3C worked very hard in the past to promote open standards and help advance the Web to where it is today. I hope it continues its good work in leading the web, without tarnishing its name by an opportunistic RAND patent licensing policy. Sincerely, Ozan S. Yigit 11 Sarah Jane Crt. Markham Ontario email: ozan.yigit@sun.com || oz@cs.yorku.ca --- -- ozan s. yigit staff engineer, sun microsystems/es http://www.cs.yorku.ca/~oz ozan.yigit@sun.com || +1 [905] 415 2878 --- no matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it. -- terry pratchett --- standard disclaimer: opinions expressed in this message are mine.
Received on Friday, 5 October 2001 10:56:28 UTC