Patent Policy Framework Draft

Dear W3C Patent Policy Working Group:

     I'm concerned about the recent Patent Policy
Framework draft, which could allow W3C members to
charge royalty fees for technologies included in web
standards.

     In particular, I object to the inclusion of a
"reasonable and non-discriminatory" (RAND) licensing
option in the proposed policy.

     I believe that the exclusive use of a
"royalty-free" (RF) licensing model is in the best
interests of the Internet community, and that RAND
licensing would always necessarily exclude some
would-be implementors, especially among open source
and free software developers.

     The inability of small companies to bear the
finacial burden of licensing I find especially
disconcerting. This would mean that an entity with
innovative ideas could be hamstrung in their product
development and implementation due to lack of
financing. I don't feel this would be helpful at all
to the improvement of the internet and what it stands
for. Free and open communication! 

     Countries of the 3rd world with weak currencies
would be especially disadvantaged in this new economy
area.  We have already see the great evil that can be
perpetuated by people who perceive (real or imagined)
western capatilism as rapacious and decedant. I feel
that RAND policy can only add fuel to such persons
discontent.

     The internet and it's open standards has helped
bring together the peoples of the world, unlike any
time since the invention and implementation of
printing literature, which in turn led to the
advancement in education improving the general human
condition.

     I firmly belive that moving internet technologies
towards closed standards, dominated by large
corporations will only lead to social discontent with
less people participating in this form of
communication. I sincerely hope that W3C maintains
it's past philosophy of openess.

     I applaud the W3C for its tradition of providing
open-source reference implementations and its work to
promote a wide variety of interoperable
implementations of its open standards. The W3C can
best continue its work of "leading the Web to its full
potential" by continuing this tradition, and saying no
to RAND licensing.

     Thank-you for you consideration of my comments.

     Sincerely,

     Mark Koscak
     Sydney Australia



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Received on Saturday, 6 October 2001 02:51:21 UTC