About standards and limitations

Dear Sirs:

Your new proposition of allowing the use of patents in W3C protocols
would only create a situation of two levels, official protocols
everyone can use vs protocols only some can. It will also remove, at
least partial, control of standards and protocols the organization
has, and put it under the rule of others.

That situation, in my opinion, is not compatible with one of the basic
principles of the organization, protocols that allow
interoperatibility among everyone, without restrictions or conditions.
If someone wants to have a private protocol, fine, but that procotol
should never be considered open standard nor have the support of
organizations considered a place where everyone is equal.

The shift of power also makes me wonder then why organizations are
needed. I always though these systems were created to share and agree
for the benefit of all even if that means sacrifice by some part. Not
to be controled by small groups and the expense of all the rest (who
does not cover only developers, but also users).

So if something is patented, the holder must make sure everyone can
implement the technology no matter the money, place or any other
condition the implementor has. Or not ask it to be global standard and
approved by global organizations, but handle it as propietary, thus by
their own means and with people that agree.

Patents were created to make technology advance, but the history is
demostrating that they are more a lawyers concept that a technology
one. So the best way to avoid discriminations and entering legal
battles is to stay clean, completly clean, by avoiding problems or
make sure the people involved first sign an agreement in which they
declare they will allow unrestricted and unconditional use of patents
they hold. They are there to colaborate, not follow personal plans.

World is in shades of grey, but sometimes things must be set in black
and white. This is one of those binary cases, a W3C protocol must be
for everyone or no W3C protocol at all.

Thanks for reading this. Now lets all work for a better world for
everyone.

GSR

Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 17:22:37 UTC