[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] Re: Re: W3C ridiculous new policy on patents
On Thu, Oct 11, 2001 at 04:18:42PM -0500, Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote: > >There's also a vast amount of scientific research and Open Source > >software to build upon and expand. > > Yes. A lot of that was paid for by the tax dollars collected > by the IRS. Funny how that works. From my hobby to your PC. Both individuals and companies pay taxes. > >Yet a lot of the obvious enhancements > >get patented. > > I don't think so. Some do but the patent office isn't quite > that stupid. This argument does reflect an attitude that > is prevalent (software is free speech) and one can argue > the merits of that. Still, it once again reinforces the > contention that without a sound patent policy to ensure > the interests of the W3C's members, the W3C is derelict > in its responsibilities. The text of that is to be > decided. Agreed. > >Why is it so hard to see that asking people to pay these same considerable > >business costs of yours just so they can *give away* things *they write* > >is wrong? [snip part about music, money, stealing and giving away things] I know the difference between copyrights and patents. > You can't make the wrong thing the right thing just because you want > it to be so. The WWW mythos has persuaded many to think there are no > costs for it. That is quite wrong. It is just that the people > who seem to be clamoring for a cost free web aren't the ones > paying the costs. I'm clamoring for no software patents please. And before you tell me they have been there for years and I'm out of touch with reality: I'm not in the US. > The Internet is NOT a commons. It never has been. That was a dream > some had and promoted to others. They forgot to mention the > millions of dollars spent by the US to develop it and then > present it as a gift for commercialization in 1990/91. Every > university machine, every router, every PC out there cost > someone something. Do what you will with what is yours to do it with > but the costs for the 'net are being passed on to the consumers. I'm gladly paying for my good internet connection, just like I pay for my 2-3 CD's a week. I would hope that whatever I pay my ISP is enough so that they can be a profitable company. I also paid for my University and will be paying taxes for the rest of my life. I'd hope that *some* of the money government spends *does* create a commons. Others have made better and on-topic postings on the W3C and patents, so I'll leave it at this. -- Bart.
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