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

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

Perhaps for the first time, the software developing public 
is coming to understand that the W3C's "mantle of legitimacy"  
does not depend on their consent.  That is why it is a consortium. 
This does not mean that independent developers are powerless; 
it means their power is much more limited than they were 
previously led or willing to believe.

<pernicious>
Inclusion is the most effective means to quash dissent.  The 
competent Machiavel understands this and includes the leaders 
of any opposing opinion group in all but the most important private 
discussions leaving them out of the last in which the decision 
to act is made.  Thus the perception of fairness is promoted 
publicly while the power to determine the results is resolutely limited 
to the loyal few.
</pernicious>

len

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

This seems to be the first serious threat to "the software developing
public"'s
perception of the W3C's mantle of legitimacy, so I suspect there's a lot
more at stake here in the long run than just patent licensing.