Re: Sun IPR statement on XPointer

[AndrewWatt2000@aol.com]

Here is another comment about specific concerns relating to Sun's document 
which was forwarded to me off list as the writer didn't want to comment in an 
attributable way (but with permission to post on list).

Quote begins here:


> I think more disturbing might be the precondition in the second paragraph 
> below that states that if you, as a licensee, implement XPointer, you've 
> giving them, and anybody else they deem acceptable, the rights to 
> redistribute it in any way they wish.  In effect, a type of enforced open 
> source.  It may be that they're enclosing a poison pill for Microsoft.  I 
> can see Sun's point, but it would make me think twice before I spent 
> development costs on an implementation. 


Perhaps patent lawyers would provide reassurance about such initial concerns, 
but for some companies at least it is likely that such a hurdle may be a 
significant disincentive to implement XPointer. It's a pity that such 
potential disincentives to XPointer development remain.

Andrew Watt