<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4134.600" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.openphd.net/W3C_Patent_Policy/">http://www.openphd.net/W3C_Patent_Policy/</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A href="http://www.w3.org/TR/patent-policy/">http://www.w3.org/TR/patent-policy/</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What this means is that the W3C can create a recommendation that becomes a defato web standard and any implementation will/may have to pay royalties. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For example, SVG implementers would/could have to pay royalties. I rather have no SVG 'Web Standard' then have one where I need IP lawyers to negotiate royalties. If companies want to create open web standards then they should NOT be allowed use the patent system. It either an open web or a closed web owned by companies that can afford to pay big bucks to Intellectual Property lawyers. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I wonder what the other Jabber developers think of this proposal from the W3C.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Should the Jabber specifications and any derived work be placed in a 'Patent Free Zone' OR do folks believe that Patents are the foundation of our IP (Intellectual Property) industry.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ashvil</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>