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W3C Revises Patent Royalty Policy

Posted by michael on from the doing-the-right-thing dept.

Jeff Heaton writes: "Looks like W3C is backing down on allowing companies to charge royalties for technologies that are incorporated into a W3C standard. In a controversial proposal made public last fall, the consortium debated whether to allow companies to charge royalty fees if their technologies are used in a standard." The new draft is online.

2 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Not quite yet... by MrWinkey · · Score: 4, Informative

    They are not backing down just quite yet.

    The draft is not the final say on the matter. A "last call" draft will be published later this year, at which point the public and W3C members will submit comments. A final decision from the director of the W3C is hoped for by the end of the year, said W3C spokeswoman Janet Daly.

    So there is at least a year before it's totaly dead and gone and it may even come back if the members push it enough or somebody does. Thusly this is a victory but the battle isnt over yet.

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    Vote early. Vote often. Vote CowboyNeal.
  2. Free Software Representatives on the Policy Board by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 5, Informative
    Three Free Software representatives are on the W3C Patent Policy Board:
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    Bruce Perens.