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

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

Yes, and I will agree with anyone about to say it, 
that sucks.  Yet it is why there must be a W3C 
policy. 

len

-----Original Message-----
From: John Cowan [mailto:jcowan@reutershealth.com]


In U.S. patent law you are bound whether you look or not,
whether you know or not, whether you independently
developed the idea or not.  (Some other legal systems
have a safe harbor for independent development.)
A patent right is as self-subsisting as a property
right in land: it is no defense to trespassing that
you didn't know the land was not in the public
domain.

In the U.S. you implement totally at your peril.