[www-patentpolicy-comment] <none>

Historically, companies in the IT Industry have agreed to licensed patents
under Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (RAND) terms when participating in
formal standards setting activities. The policy of licensing patents under
RAND terms and conditions has allowed our best technical individuals to
work together without becoming burdened by patent issues.  This approach
encourages participants to contribute more of their patented technology
resulting in the adoption of the best technical solutions. Allowing the
standards activities to proceed in this manner, while moving the discussion
of patent licenses outside of the standards developing organization,
permits company-to-company patent dialogue and encourages individualized
solutions to patent license issues.  After all  -  there is no conceivable
W3C patent policy that could address the non W3C member who holds a
blocking patent on a W3C Recommendation.

The W3C Patent Policy Framework Proposal will never provide complete
certainty for specification developers and product implementers. We should
allow the technical experts to work unencumbered by complicated rules and
leave the patent issues for discussion outside of the standards
organizations.


Regards,

   Gerry Lane
   Program Director of Corporate Standards Practices
   North Castle Drive
   Armonk, New York 10504-1785
Internet:  gtlane@us.ibm.com
tel:(914)765-4369  tie:251-4369  /  fax:(914)765-4420

Received on Thursday, 27 September 2001 15:01:38 UTC