W3C Patent Policy: Bad bad bad!

To whom it may concern,

The issues are complicated and I hope enough comments have been received 
to state my opinions in a more eloquent and succinct fashion than that 
of which I am capable.

The short version:  The web survives only because of open, non-fee based 
and unpatented standards.  To allow patents to be adopted as standards 
is counterproductive to the web for both business and non-commercial use.

I am strongly opposed to allowing patented technologies to be adopted as 
standards.

Thank you for this opporitunity to (briefly) comment,

Garth Daley Highsmith
Bozeman, MT USA
ghighsmith@theGlobal.net