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Mon
4
MAR
2002
New W3C Patent Policy Working Draft!
Last fall there was huge public outcry about the W3C’s patent policy draft that has resulted in the W3C doing some major reworkings of it. The new Patent Policy Working Draft is available for review, and discussion and comments are invited.
Below is an especially significant part of the press release from the W3C:
W3C Makes Formal Commitment to Royalty-Free Specifications
The new Patent Policy Working Draft differs from the previous draft in three significant ways:
- The RAND track for W3C Working Groups has been removed. There is no process in this policy for developing RAND specifications. However, the Working Group has an open question on options for accommodating RAND technologies in exceptional circumstances.
- Working Group Participants must now commit to Royalty-Free Licensing.
- Defensive use of patents is allowed only in the case where a holder of essential claims is sued for patent infringement in the implementation of a W3C Recommendation.
More information:
- Brainstorms and Raves comments re: Great News from W3C re Patent Policy Draft and archives about standards, including the Patent Policy issues
- Patent Policy Working Group public home page
- Summary and background information by W3C regarding the Patent Policy Working Draft
- Subscribe to the W3C Patent Policy public mailing list
- W3C Patent Policy public mailing list archives
07:06 pm, pst
4 March, 2002 Comments, Trackbacks ·
Categories: Press Releases, Standards
