RAND: Wrong!

I have just read a Linux Today article describing the W3C's 
proposed fee-based licensing concept.  It seems to me that the 
W3C is making a major mistake in moving from open standards to 
proprietary/fee-based standards as is proposed in the new RAND 
licensing policy.

The point of a standard is that is indeed *standard*.  And that 
means free.  No licensing costs, no registration requirements.  
We have seen what has happened in the net world with the fuss 
over licensing the GIF format.  Imagine if we each had to 
license the use of the metric system (or the British/SAE system).

Certainly the W3C has, in the past, been seen as a major 
supporter of open (read "free") standards.  It would be a 
disaster to the internet community as it exists now were that to 
change.

Just my $.02

Jeffrey L. Trefftzs

Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 15:44:14 UTC