Please do NOT incorporate RAND licensed technology in your recommendations

As a software engineer and web developer who frequently implements
and works with w3c standards, I strongly oppose the proposal to accept
the incorporation of non-royalty-free technology in w3c standards.  People
everywhere... large corporations and small developers alike.. have come
to rely on web protocols and standards being royalty free.  Not only has
this maximized acceptance of w3c web standards, it has served to
further promote RF standards.  It has also had a profound positive impact
on the cost of using the web for business purposes... keeping costs down,
not only for corporations but end users as well.

There is certainly room for non-royalty-free technology on the net.  But it
is the RF standards which have in fact enabled the Internet and allowed
it to become what it is today.  Allowing non-RF technology to seep into
core standards (which WILL happen if you continue down this path) will
drive up costs for everyone, and result in less competition and less
innovation.  I surely hope some of you are capable of putting self-interests
aside, and doing what is right for the net [community].  Which is, resisting
royalty based technology when developing web related standards.

Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 15:16:46 UTC