- From: Greg Reagle <greagl1@umbc.edu>
- Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2001 23:55:05 -0400
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
I've seen the news on Linux Weekly News (see http://www.lwn.net/) about the new patent policy proposal. I am very concerned about how this new policy will affect the future development of free software (see http://www.gnu.org/). Some people whom I consider very intelligent and whose integrity I respect, like Richard Stallman and Eben Moglen, claim that RAND licensing of patented technology embodied in W3C standards will eliminate free software production from any area of Web facilities subject to those standards. I don't know for sure whether this is true, but if it is then it's VERY VERY bad. Please make sure that any patent policy that you come up with is entirely non-discriminatory toward free software (any royalty fee, no matter how small, is a huge obstruction to free software). In order to do this, please consult with Richard Stallman (free software guy) and Bruce Perens (open source guy). If the patent policy that you come up with is in any way discriminatory towards free software, is incompatible with the GPL (according to Stallman) or open source software (according to Perens), I will be extremely disappointed in the W3C and it will totally lose my support and the support of many many other free software developers and fans. The term "non-discriminatory" should not be used to refer to licenses that require a fee, even if you consider the fee "reasonable" because (1) Some people have more money than others (2) Some companies have a *lot* more money than most individuals The idea that charging money for something does not discriminate is offensive and de-humanizing to the poor people of the world because it totally ignores them. In reading your "Backgrounder for W3C Patent Policy Framework" (http://www.w3.org/1999/10/28-P3P-IntermindPatentAnalysis-PressRelease.html) I see that the first core principle is that interoperability is important for core infrastructure. Well, I think it's important for all web standards. W3C shouldn't be dealing with any standards that don't consider interoperability very important. This isse is extremely important, please consider it very very carefully, give plenty of times for discussion and deliberation, and consult the free software community. -- "All beings tremble before violence. All love life. All fear death. See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?" -- the Buddha
Received on Thursday, 4 October 2001 23:55:11 UTC