RE: [xml-dev] [Fwd: W3C ridiculous new policy on patents]

["Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@ingr.com>]

For the scope of authority over that set of 
contract entities to which the answer can be 
applied.

I don't like this stuff either, Simon, but 
as ISO had to accept the PDF PAS, there will 
be technology innovations that will not be 
made available without some licensing.  The 
web will be the medium of technical advances, 
or it will be a bazaar, a ghetto of half-implemented 
notions.   We've been crusing for a long 
time in the world that DARPA paid for.  If the 
W3C only recommends royalty-free technologies, 
expect the members to withhold the best stuff. 
Flash and PDF disprove the myth of open source 
as the sole arbiter of product survival on the web.

What is actually at risk here is the 
cohesiveness of the W3C membership.  
Again, as long as it was simply a technology 
incubator, it has served us well.  Making 
it a legislative authority is a mistake. 
Yet unless some means of administering such 
authority is found, expect the large 
corporations to do as they will under 
the fog of inexact law.   

I am reading the document; 
so far, it looks like an attempt to cope 
with the emerging situation, not an attempt 
to create the situation.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Simon St.Laurent [mailto:simonstl@simonstl.com]

On Mon, 2001-10-01 at 13:54, Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote:
> o What is needed?
> o What is possible?
> o What is sustainable?

I'd add a "for who" to the end of all of those questions.