GPL-Incompatible Web Standards?

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Hello,

I see that the W3C is considering opening the door to GPL-incompatible web standards. 

The web, and the Internet, have both benefited immeasurably over the years by largely being built out of Open Source and Free Software - and a non-trivial portion of that software has been made available for free to all via the GPL license. It surprises me that the W3C would seriously consider creating standards – or enabling the possibility of creating standards - that would lock-out a significant portion of the people that helped build the Web into what it is today.  

I strongly urge the W3C to follow the FSF’s advice and remain GPL-compatible – by prohibiting “the imposition of ‘field of use’ restrictions on patent claims contributed to W3C standards” (see http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/w3c-patent.html).

Best Regards,
Thom Wysong

Received on Tuesday, 3 December 2002 22:15:14 UTC