Patents would stunt evolution of the web

Patents have no place in Web standards.  Much of the
strength of the World Wide Web-- and virtually all of
its brilliance-- are born of its openness.  

The open standards of the Web facilitate
interoperability, accessibility, and compatability. 
Anyone who has the drive to participate, either as a
creator or as a recipient, can do so relatively
unencumbered, regardless of who they are or they are
participating.  This, in turn, fosters exploration,
creativity, and genius in a collective effort to push
the medium to its extreme.  

Web art and design discover ingenious ways of
co-opting standards for aesthetic expression.  News
and publishing develop new paradigms of information
dissemination.  Commerce finds better ways to relate
with consumers.

These advances are made by organizations, academics,
individuals, and corporations.  They are made in the
pursuit of the technical, the theoretical, and the
pragmatic.  They have flourished in an open
environment, and in turn, have lit the way for further
evolution of Web standards.

Introducing patents to Web standards, however
"reasonable" their licenses, would have a chilling
effect upon the development of Web services and
content.  By commercially proprietarizing open
standards, individuals, academics, and
non-profit-driven parties are effectively excluded
from the evolutionary process of the standards.

While standards will continue to develop, their
development will be along the conservative path that
business practice dictates.  Only those who do not
have to fear financial loss can afford to experiment
with the limits of the Web, to motivate its further
expansion into areas not previously dreamed touchable.

--branen salmon
<goatcheese787@yahoo.com>

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Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 17:24:04 UTC