Absurd Patent Policy

Any standard should avoid patents at all costs.  Period.

The only exception worth a moment's thought would be the case where the 
patent holder renounces any conditions on the use of the patent.  Not 
just royalty-free, but without registration, pooling, or any other 
condition.

"Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory" is a phrase which would be right at 
home in "1984"; it is neither reasonable, nor non-discriminatory.  A 
reasonable person implementing an application conforming to a standard 
should not need anything other than a copy of the standard.  No 
bookkeeping, no royalties, no pooling, no restrictions.  Such an 
implementation should be  able to be published under any license which 
the author chooses.

Inclusion of patented technology renders a standard useless.  There is 
no point in drafting a standard which cannot be used.

-- 
Howard Christeller    hchristeller@home.com

Received on Thursday, 4 October 2001 23:41:00 UTC