W3C Patent Policy Framework

Dear Sir...

I just read your paper on the W3C Patent Policy Framework.

I would like to say that I am strongly against this policy because of the 
damage which I feel it would do to future Internet standards. By giving the 
ability to any company to patent any core technology, it immediately gives 
them the power to control, if only by a cost basis, the amount of 
competition in that space.

Indeed, many standards bodies in other spaces (JEDEC, in the memory world) 
insist that their members disclose any and all patents in advance of the 
discussions about any technologies (this is something which I would support 
the W3C doing!), purely so that they may avoid technologies which may give 
any individual member an edge. Surely this example can show what a danger it 
is to allow a key technology in a standard to become patentable.

I hope and believe that the W3C will avoid making this mistake, and will 
instead ensure that Internet standards will remain patent-free, so that even 
the smallest developer may be able to innovate in this area.

Yours sincerely
Adrian Harte

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Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 21:07:11 UTC