- From: Alexander Stohr <AlexanderS@ati.com>
- Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:38:44 +0200
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
Hello, I am unhappy on what we are facing with that proposed way. its okay so far if one wants to make a standard out of a patent, but its not okay for if standards are misused for making money. and even if there is no revenue - it might still cost the users or the software and hardware vendors a good amount of money. but the worst scenario is that the standard cannot evolve unless the patents holder does approve this. This effect will not only be limited to the standard but to any sort of implementation. Even if a third party has a built-upon patent handy that will work on the standard and improve it and the related products, the holder of the base patent is still in the postition to kill any such approach, regardless who did it. i dont see any good in having standards that contain a footer which refers to a patent held be a comercial organisation. But i wont limit it only to business organisations but i see the problem will rise by principle in such a constellation. Its not a question of trustability, if say the univeristy of carolina is owner of a patent that is a standard as well, but it is much more a problem of complexity that will be merged into the standard with no chance of getting rid of it at reasonable time. This will decrease the value of such a standard for any sort of possible user. The standard will be less successful therefore. Regards, AlexS. PS: It would be much nicer if the US would stop patents on intellectual property as it is practiced now - it really did block economy more than it did advance it. Its not funny to live in a technical environment where anybody could have patented any simple mouse click and youd never know untill you get sued. The only thing where patents should be applicable are outrageous new ways of making the powers of nature beneficial to mankind. If we want to get a single world, we cannot afford that some central standards of our way of living are owed by a few organisations.
Received on Wednesday, 10 October 2001 13:37:44 UTC