RF: It's not done until it's done

A W3C standards effort that discovers a infringing patent should first try
(after validating that a real problem exists) to the get the patent holders
to licence it RF; failing that, then they should start over and
remove/replace that technology from the standard. Do this a couple of times
and the holders of bypassed patents will be more willing to properly
licence them to avoid being marginalizd.

It is better to have NO standard than a flawed, encumbered standard.  The
internet community can wait. And if members of that community are feeling
impatient, then they can lobby the obstructing patent holders directly.

Anything else than this firm stance will ensure a slide down a slippery
slope, ending up where any but the most trivial standard will be patent
encumbered and ususable in free software.

-- 
#!/usr/bin/perl -i4lfirm{8+:2cqsynlz:5%@0:3Siwr:1Kwvx
print 'Eric E. Coe, JAPH (and Oracle Principle Engineer)
Work:  914.773.8017   Eric.Coe@oracle.com AIM: "Eric Coe US"
Home:  973.663.0840 Cell: 973.945.8957 ecoe@reportica.org
BTW, the meaning of JAPH is:',"\n@{[map{($i,@a)=unpack
'ac*',$_;pack'c*',map{$_-$i++}@a}sort split/:/,$^I]}\n"
__END__
As always, the opinions expressed are solely my own,
and not my employer's (though they should be!)