opportunity for public comment before Patent Policy is finalized

As Susan Lesch informed this list last week [1], W3C has published Note [2]
describing our current patent practices. This document represents the
current state of procedure for handling patent issues regarding technical
specifications on the Recommendation track. It is neither the final W3C
patent policy we expect to adopt, nor is it the simple, disclosure-only
policy that is described in the existing W3C Process Document. An
examination of the Note will show that many of the comments received from
W3C Members and the Public have been incorporated, but that our work is by
no means finished.

Private questions to me have expressed concern, however, that we may have
changed our plans for a second round of public comments before we issue a
final policy.

Here's our plan for further public review: there will be a second 'Last
Call' period before the policy is submitted for final review by W3C Members.
Already the Patent Policy Working Group has is releasing public summaries of
our meetings, and plans to release intermediate Public Working Drafts over
the coming months. The final draft submitted to Members for review, and
ultimately to the W3C Director for decision, will have been informed by
public review from a Last Call process. Those interested in more details of
the W3C Process covering this sort of review should have a look at the
Process Document [3]. Over the next few weeks I hope to issue a more
detailed schedule of public drafts and target dates for the second Last Call
period.

Please visit the public home page of the Patent Policy Working Group for
up-to-date details on the activities of the group. [4]

[1]
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-patentpolicy-comment/2002Jan/0125.ht
ml
[2] http://www.w3.org/TR/patent-practice
[3] http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process-20010719/tr.html#last-call
[4] http://www.w3.org/2001/ppwg/

--
Daniel J. Weitzner                              +1.617.253.8036 (MIT)
World Wide Web Consortium                       +1.202.364.4750 (DC)
Technology & Society Domain Leader              <djweitzner@w3.org>
http://www.w3.org/People/Weitzner.html

Received on Sunday, 27 January 2002 14:36:14 UTC