Royalty Free Patents in "Standards"

Hi,

I'm writing today to protest the current proposed "royalty-free" patent
policy as proposed by the working committee.  The internet, as it is
today, exists because of the free and unencumbered protocols upon which
the entire technology is currently based.  The internet would not, and
indeed, could not have come about in an environment where free and
unencumbered exchange of information, software, and design was not 
available.  

The proposed patent policy would restrict the implementation of
"standards" or encumber them in such a way as to make implementation
impossible or extremely difficult for open source developers, upon
whose shoulders the current internet implementations rest.  IT would
be a disservice to the entire world to allow the imposition of
"standards" which cannot be implemented in a completely free and
unencumbered manner.  

No current company has, nor should any company be allowed to 
establish, hegemony over any important aspect of the internet.  
The free and unencumbered exchange of software, design, and 
implementation is crucial, and vital, to the continued development
and widespread implementation of internet-based technology.  

Please consider changing the proposed policy, or rejecting it outright
unless the W3 commits to completely free and unencumbered standards
for internet protocols.  There is NO PLACE WHATSOEVER for patents
in standards intended for worldwide use in the internet.

Thank you,

Scott Sharkey
President
Linux Unlimited, LLC

Received on Monday, 2 December 2002 07:40:38 UTC