Re: Apple's SVG patent

Daniel Phillips wrote:

> > You will not find that this system of equations is used in the SVG
> > specification and you are not required to use this system of equations
> > to implement SVG. Thus, the patent does not apply to SVG - it is not
> > "essential technology".
> >
> > Of course, you should make up your own mind by reading the patent to
> > verify this conclusion for yourself, but it seems very clear cut to me.
> 
> If that seems so clear, then why is Apple's patent even mentioned in the SVG
> patent statement? 


You see that as odd because you are reading it as "here are a list of
patents that W3C thinks apply to SVG".

In fact, it is "here is a list of claims that have been made". The Apple
claim was made a *long* time ago, more than a year ago; and the SVG
working group was aware of the claim. We don't believe that this patent
claim is a barrier to SVG adoption. But we can't make up developers
minds for them. We give them the information and they make up their own
minds.


>  It seems that this has just provided an easy excuse for
> Adobe to hold back RF licensing for whatever IP claims it may have.

I have asked Adobe to clarify their licensing terms since they contain a
condition that was future-looking when originally submitted but no
longer needs to be conditional now that all the working group members
have made their license terms known.

> 
> I'd like to suggest that if the goal really was to prepare a specification
> unencumbered by patent claims, the SVG working group could have done much
> more in that regard. 

Such as....

>  Perhaps the presence of some members of the public and
> nonprofit organizations in the SVG working group would have helped the
> working group focus better on that goal.

There was abundant input on the SVG specification from members of the
pubic, small companies, nonprofit organisations, and the open source
community.

If you are referring to input from those sorts of organisations on the
PPF, then you would need to ask someone else about that.

-- 
Chris

Received on Friday, 5 October 2001 10:08:56 UTC