Re: RAND Licenses in WAI working groups

The presumed mode of WAI groups to date has been RF (Royalty Free).

This is not currently specified in WAI charters, but can indeed be so 
specified in charter renewals, regardless of pending overall discussions on 
W3C patent policy.

Also, with regard to Carlos' original question about the draft Patent 
Policy Framework, which included:
>I have not read the whole document in
>depth,

it is important to actually read the document, carefully. Please note that 
as with all W3C draft documents, public comment is invited.

This message is also a reminder to not cross-post on WAI lists, even if 
replying to previous comments that have done so.

- Judy

At 08:57 AM 10/2/01 -0700, Kynn Bartlett wrote:
>At 08:20 AM 10/2/2001 , Carlos A Velasco wrote:
> >I am wondering whether, as WGs, can we set a consensus opinion on this.
>
>No.  Until some sort of W3C patent policy is passed -- such as one
>that allows W3C working groups to choose a RAND or RF policy --
>then it's beyond the scope of _individual_ working groups to
>address patent policy.
>
>In other words, while the W3C is working out a framework by which
>policy decisions would happen, it would be very bad for individual
>groups to start making policy decisions, especially those which may
>or may not be compatible with the eventual policy which the W3C
>will adopt sometime in the future, whatever that will be.
>
>So my suggestion is that if you are concerned about patent policy
>you should make your opinions known in the manner provided by the
>W3C, but hold off on trying to organize working group consensus
>until such time as there is any _point_ in organizing that type of
>consensus.
>
>--Kynn
>
>--
>Kynn Bartlett  <kynn@idyllmtn.com>                http://kynn.com/
>Technical Developer Liaison, Reef             http://www.reef.com/
>Chief Technologist, Idyll Mountain Internet   http://idyllmtn.com/
>Online Instructor, Accessible Web Design     http://kynn.com/+d201




-- 
Judy Brewer    jbrewer@w3.org    +1.617.258.9741    http://www.w3.org/WAI
Director, Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) International Program Office
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
MIT/LCS Room NE43-355, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA,  02139,  USA

Received on Tuesday, 2 October 2001 13:37:30 UTC