Consideration of Patented Standards

As a web designer and programmer I urge the W3 to stand firm on patent-free 
standards.  Patented standards would cause numerous problems both financial 
and technical for the open web.  If the W3 is to remain relevant to web 
standards they must remain impartial.  The current state of open standards 
provides the competitive environment that allows any business the chance to 
succeed.  A web laden with patents and royalties would lock out many smaller 
businesses and drastically slow down the rate of innovation that is common 
place today.  Please keep the web open and free of royalties.

Cymen Vig
cvig@raw-io.com