- From: Joe Brockmeier <jbrockmeier@earthlink.net>
- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 06:10:48 -0600
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
I'm writing to express my concern about the W3C's proposed patent policy. It should not be allowed for any company or companies to hold patents on W3C standards. Allowing W3C standards to be patented would open the door to one of two end results. One would be the domination of technologies by companies like Microsoft, and the prevention of Free and Open Source software that makes use of those technologies -- causing anyone who wishes to use future W3C standards to pay licensing fees, and shutting out any non-commercial development based on those technologies. The other, more likely, avenue is the disregard of the W3C as a standards body in the future. If any or all technologies are subject to licensing fees by one or more companies, they are likely to be ignored in favor of royalty-free technologies. This should be blatantly obvious since there are W3C standards that were created exactly for this reason. (PNG) It's also suspect that the W3C has not made very much noise about this proposal. It seems odd that the W3C has made a more deliberate effort to solicit public comment on this issue -- likely because it is obvious that this proposal is NOT in the public interest. Any patents on technologies submitted to the W3C for consideration as a standard should be turned over to the W3C. Please do not allow the future of Internet standards to be dominated by corporations with no interest but profit. The Internet as it exists today was built largely on open standards and for the enjoyment and use of all equally. Please do not allow this to change. Sincerely, Joe "Zonker" Brockmeier
Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 14:03:40 UTC