comment on your patent policy framework draft

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
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-- 
ozan s. yigit			staff engineer, sun microsystems/es
http://www.cs.yorku.ca/~oz	ozan.yigit@sun.com || +1 [905] 415 2878
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no matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always
got there first, and is waiting for it. -- terry pratchett
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standard disclaimer: opinions expressed in this message are mine.

Received on Friday, 5 October 2001 10:56:28 UTC