[xml-dev] Comment on W3C Patent Policy WG Response

[Don Park <donpark@docuverse.com>]

This is a comment on W3C Patent Policy Work Group's (PPWG) response to
public comments regarding W3C Patent Policy Framework draft.  I am posting
this here for two reasons:

R1. ONE-WAY STREET

W3C's Patent Policy public comment mailing list is effectively a one-way
street and the WG is not obligated to respond and normally there are no
bidirectional dialogue between the public and the WG.  WG has posted some
replies on the mailing list in response to overwelmingly negative public
comments, but this is definitely not normal W3C WG behavior.

By sending comments to the mailing list, I will be submitting to the one-way
street policy.  Since I disagree with that policy, I will not do so.

R2. CONTROL

W3C has full control over their mailing list.  While I do not suspect them
of ill doings, I am not in habit of taking unnecessary risk when there are
other channels of communication (i.e. XML-DEV) not controlled by W3C.

COMMENTS:

C1. I applaud the PPWG's decision to open up its activities by inviting open
source experts and opening home page for PPWG.

C2. I am disappointed with the lack of information on invited expert's
ability to communicate with people they represent, the public.  Under normal
W3C policy, invited experts are not allowed to share WG's confidential
information.  Given that all information generated during WG activity are
assumed to be confidential unless specifically marked as public information,
I have to assume that the invited experts will be out of communication with
the public as soon as they join the WG unless they are willing to face
lawsuits.

C3. I am also disappointed with PPWG's decision to not open up access to
internal PPWG mailing lists.  Please them up.

Best,

Don Park
Docuverse