- From: Kevin Dangoor <kdangoor@webelite.com>
- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 22:28:04 -0400
- To: <www-patentpolicy-comment@w3.org>
I understand that the attempt of the new Patent Policy is to clarify the W3C's handling of patented technology and to enable access to the broadest range of technologies. However, I believe that the Internet has flourished specifically because the standards involved have been free to be implemented by any groups that wish to implement them, including those who develop free software. Patents can cause a splintering in the technology because of the thousands of developers involved in writing free software, as we have seen with the development of Ogg Vorbis (to get around the MP3 patent) and PNG (to get around the GIF patent). In order to make the official standards available to as wide an audience as possible, I urge you require that all W3C Recommendations require Royalty-Free access. This would ensure that the standards stay meaningful and have the highest possible chance of successful adoption. Sincerely, Kevin Dangoor Assistant Director of Development Web Elite
Received on Sunday, 30 September 2001 22:29:26 UTC