RE: [xml-dev] More patent funnies!

[Jim Ancona <scarhill@yahoo.com>]

--- "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@ingr.com> wrote:
> Do vendors get to choose the best interests of the vendor(s)? 

Ultimately, of course they do. And if W3C's mission statement said, "W3C exists
solely to serve the propietary interests of its members", the rest of us could
take that into account, and act accordingly. 

But that's not the claim. W3C says its process is organized according to three
principles:

1. Vendor Neutrality
2. Coordination
3. Consensus

The vendor neutrality principle doesn't say that it only applies to members, or
vendors who sell their software, or those with large patent portfolios.

The consensus principle says, "Consensus is one of the most important
principles by which W3C operates. When resolving issues and making decisions,
W3C strives to achieve unanimity of opinion. Where unanimity is not possible,
W3C reaches decisions by considering the ideas and viewpoints of all
participants, whether W3C Members, invited experts, or the general public."[1]

It's pretty clear at this point that there is no consensus on RAND. So if W3C
goes ahead with it, pehaps the rest of us should consider whether the W3C's
mission statement is still valid, and what authority they then may claim to set
"standards" for the web.

The W3C shouldn't be able to have it both ways. It can be a consortium of
vendors, out to serve only their own interests, or it can be a (vendor-funded)
organization that attempts to represent the broader interests of all
participants. It is only by claiming to be the latter (and by Tim B-L's status
as inventor of the web) that W3C has any moral authority or mandate.

So you're right. W3C doesn't HAVE to conform to its own principles. It can act
solely in its members' best interests. If that happens, all I would ask is that
the rest of us don't condone the hypocrisy by pretending that those principles
were never stated, and that the hypocrisy doesn't exist.

Jim

[1] http://www.w3.org/Consortium/#organization


=====
Jim Ancona
jim@anconafamily.com                     jancona@xevo.com

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