- From: Richard M <morrisrx@yahoo.com>
- Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 08:07:04 -0700 (PDT)
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
Much of the technology on which the Internet and web are based was developed as a community effort to improve our communications infrastructure and was freely developed for the benefit of all. It makes no sense to build upon the free works of others and then patent the result for profit. The Internet and web as we know it would not exist if its development grounds had been a patent minefield. Many software developers, myself included, will cease to participate in any environment that becomes greed driven. I argue that if one wants to patent technology, then that technology should not in any way be based on the free works of others. In this way the patent owner will have exclusive and entire control over their works. I find it hard to believe that some base their works on the work of others that is made freely available, and then want to charge for and control access to the result. If one is going to take from the free software community then would do well to also give in return. The advice from The Lion King, "...never take more than you give..." seems particularly applicable. More and more we are becoming a society and world of greed. The mantra seems to be "mine, mine, mine, all mine". And yet our greatest accomplishments have been when we have worked together for the common good. I argue that it is time to return to those values and work together for the good of all. Our world and communities are struggling in many ways that can be ameliorated by free or low cost access to technology. Let us be the ones that continually make that a reality. Richard Morris __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Listen to your Yahoo! Mail messages from any phone. http://phone.yahoo.com
Received on Tuesday, 2 October 2001 11:07:05 UTC