RE: Microsoft patented keyboard-navigation?

Also sprach Cutler, Roger (RogerCutler):

 > Is there some way that the W3C can influence the US Patent office to
 > stop doing this kind of thing?  Just as a wild speculation -- I have no
 > doubt that wiser heads can come up with something better -- could the
 > W3C bring suit, based on patents such as this that clearly violate any
 > reasonable understanding of the purpose of patents, claiming  that such
 > patents materially damage the interests of the organization and of
 > society at large?

I agree that W3C should try to use its influence here. Too many
patents are being granted by an underperforming patent office under
siege by overeager patent lawyers.

I suggest two possible W3C actions:

 - Microsoft owes W3C big time for helping them out of the Eolas case.
   The case, and W3C's bonus (10% of what MS saved?), should be used
   to educate and influence about the harmfulness of software patents.

 - in particular, W3C should make a statement in support of the
   "interoperability clause" which is being debated in EU. The clause
   states that you do not violate patents when making two computer
   systems interoperate. This should be one of W3C's core values. 

 > In general, it seems to me that it would be more effective in the long
 > term to try to deal with the source of the problem rather than each
 > instance as it arises.

Hear, hear!

-h&kon
              Håkon Wium Lie                          CTO °þe®ª
howcome@opera.com                  http://people.opera.com/howcome

Received on Monday, 6 September 2004 21:31:24 UTC