Response to Public Comments on Patent Policy Framework Working Draft

I've always viewed W3C as a standards-developing and standards-setting
body that acted in the best interests of the Internet and the Internet-using
public. I trust the W3C largely because of Tim Berners-Lee. I had
never really looked into the details of W3C and its relationship
with commercial entities and have always assumed that W3C
Recommendations were unencumbered by patents.

Now I discover that even W3C has to deal with the ugly world of
companies, profits, and patents. Worse, patent holders are working
in your own midst and at least one has used deception to benefit
from their W3C participation. 

If you say that RAND is important to the W3C, that there are good
reasons for it, and Tim Berners-Lee promises the W3C will always
put the interests of the Internet first and patent-holders second, then
you have my support.

Just remember that Microsoft, and companies that have learned from
Microsoft's success, have few scrupples and little sense of fair play.
They have a Mafia-like attitude (Nothing personal. It's just business)
and should not be trusted. I, personally, would not let them in to
the hen house.

Ed Sawicki
Accelerated Learning Center 
503-635-6370

Received on Tuesday, 2 October 2001 11:56:50 UTC