W3C Patent Policy

I would like to applaud the efforts of the W3C to provide royalty free 
standards for the Web.  I understand some people have a problem with the 
field of use restrictions in this policy but I am sure this was all a part 
of a very complicated compromise which removed the RAND part of the previous 
proposal.  While many may argue that this field of use restriction has to 
go, I offer two points:

1) I don't believe the W3C should be "extorting" the legally obtained 
intellectual property of others for application out the scope of W3C 
standards and hence limiting the use of a patent to the W3C standards seem 
fully appropriate.  If someone wants that patent to make better software for 
something else, it is completely appropriate for them to negotiate with the 
owner.  If you don't like patents on software, convince the government not 
allow it.

2) The GPL is not immutable.  If there truly is a problem with the GPL and 
field of use restrictions, perhaps it, the GPL, is deficient and should be 
changed.

Steve O'Daniel
Programmer

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Received on Thursday, 5 December 2002 07:37:46 UTC