- From: Xavi Drudis Ferran <xdrudis@tinet.org>
- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 13:02:03 +0200
- To: www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org
I'm sorry to have let the deadline for comments pass by, and having to rush a comment at the last moment. Luckly, more apt people than myself have already sent comments which I share about the dangers of allowing patents to affect the standards on which the web relies. There is enough harm done by companies that embrace or extend standards, fail to fully comply with them or otherwise seek to undermine the standard so that their products are the only ones usable. If companies would be allowed to use patents to exclude free software, or simply gratis software from competing with their products, the purpose of the W3C would be unachievable, and it could as well dissolve. I guess the reason for the W3C to inflict such a pain upon itself is a perceived threat that otherwise big companies will cease cooperation with W3C and stick to their own propietary and incompatible tricks. That would be a loss, because it is true that big companies have contributed important material to web standards for the benefit of all. But even in that case I think free software has given enough proof that it is able to sustain a free web and adhere bona fide to W3C standards, so that the W3C could continue their task to build this important infrastructure for human progress. Anyway, that scenario is not all that likely. Software patents are illegal in Europe, and nobody I know of gives too much credit to them. That is, some are naive enough to file and get invalid patents, but few companies, even those that file patents, care to make sure they don't infringe on patents, or to look who they should buy their licenses from. After all, software is not patentable by its own nature, and those countries who fail to think about it will sooner or later have to face the contradictions they are getting into and exclude software from patentability in law. Therefore, the perceived threats to the W3C are only myths spread by those who would like to own the internet and restrict other people's access to knowledge for their own profit. As in many sects, believing their doctrine is the first step towards self delusion, and suicide. If the W3C believes them, and allows patents to stop anyone from freely adopting the W3Cs own standards, the W3C will only be commiting suicide and killing the internet. Nobody will be able to fully excercise their freedom of speech and learning, and the W3C will loose all its credit. People will no longer study and implement W3C standards (let alone contribute to them) if they know they have to negotiate/pay to big companies, they're just take the companies propietary systems and adapt to them, skipping the W3C "middle man". Interoperability and communication among people will suffer, and this will probably be the worst step 10 years backwards in history. Never so much change had happened in such a little time, and never before such a big change has been aborted so early. Please, give live a second chance, don't desist in your task. Don't let the W3C kill itself. -- Xavi Drudis Ferran xdrudis@tinet.org
Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 08:08:52 UTC