NO TO RAND (even after 11 October!)

I just found out that RAND is working its way through the corridors at the 
W3, and even though it's after 11 October I have to write to express my 
displeasure at what this policy means.

Do the W3 really want to collude with Microsoft, IBM et al and discriminate 
against the use of open source software on the web? I hope not.

The only form of patent policy that seems fair to me is one that places 
patented and patent-free software on an equal footing, viz:

- W3 recommendations that are covered by commercial patents may not make use 
of non-patented software and standards already owned by the W3 and available 
to the entire web community without paying a "reasonable and 
non-discriminatory" per-copy licence fee.

Sounds reasonable enough to me: if you want to make a buck from the W3 then 
pay for the privilege. If you want to add freely to the web community 
without taking anything away from it, then you don't.

RAND as it stands? No thanks.

Please think again,

Tim Bacon
(Principal Consultant, Prime Eight Ltd)

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Received on Thursday, 18 October 2001 05:42:41 UTC