W3 Policy: Up with draft, down with software patents

I request that the W3C approve the recent draft patent policy.  It
respects programmers of Free and Open-Source software, and their rights to
implement standards and compete on an even playing field with software
developed through other methods.  Of course, it is not the W3C's role to
determine which sotware development methods the users of its policies use.

The Free Software Foundation objects to the field-of-use limitation in the
draft, and I do as well.  However, in the interest of making standards
approachable by all, I feel that it is a necessary evil (read: important
compromise) that is required if patent-holders are to work with W3C
standards.

I do also believe that software patents are fundamentally wrong and fail
to provide an economic case for the monopoly they create, but that is a
discussion to take with my country's legislature.  Thank you, W3C, for
ensuring that standards are as open as you have been able to so far.

Please approve the draft.

Sincerely,

Asheesh Laroia.

Received on Monday, 6 January 2003 12:24:36 UTC