03.08.10

W3C Poisoned by Promoters of Software Patents Who Attack GNU/Linux

Posted in Apple, Microsoft, Novell, Patents, Standard at 11:23 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Jeff Jaffe at the event announcing the Microsoft/Novell deal (2006)

Summary: Novell’s CTO, who encourages maximisation of software patents, becomes another threat to the Web as he takes leadership in the World Wide Web Consortium

“SMELLS fishy,” told me Jan Wildeboer regarding the fact that “MSFT enters W3C WGs, Jeff Jaffe becomes the CEO.” Yes, the W3C has been letting in some bad staff recently, including some of the latest arrivals. First there’s a person from the software patents supporter known as IBM which has a seat, along with one from Microsoft and Apple, who are anti-GNU/Linux bullies that attack the platform with software patents (yes, Apple too [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]). Some of these people are not compatible with the W3C. One of the reasons that the World Wide Web was so successful was the deliberate absence (by exclusion) of software patents, which made the platform free.

On top of all this, based on many news reports [1, 2, 3, 4], the chief executive will be Novell’s departing CTO, Jeff Jaffe, who also has roots in IBM (which doesn’t help much). He was chosen despite his love for software patents [1, 2, 3] and patent traps like Mono.

The World Wide Web Consortium, which oversees development of Hypertext Markup Language and several other standards relating to the Web, has a new leader who wants to help streamline some of the group’s standardization efforts and beef up its ties with outside programmers.

Jeff Jaffe, Novell’s chief technology officer until January and a former executive at IBM and Lucent Technologies’ Bell Labs, was named W3C’s new chief executive officer on Sunday. In the post, he’ll work with group director and Web founder Tim Berners-Lee.

Berners-Lee very much dislikes software patents, so why does he surround himself with these people? They are all in favour of software patents (or their employers are). Apple has already ‘planted’ some software patents in the Web and also strongly opposed Ogg. Added below is a relevant conversion from one hour ago. █

IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: March 8th, 2010

lyle	speaking of patents	Mar 08 15:17
lyle	what happens to novell’s patents if they get bought by elliot?	Mar 08 15:17
DaemonFC	and the only reason those jobs came is because the companies don’t have to pay any taxes to reside here	Mar 08 15:18
lyle	and elliot sells bits and pieces	Mar 08 15:18
oiaohm	Highest bidder lyle	Mar 08 15:18
lyle	could spell trouble for linux	Mar 08 15:18
oiaohm	Not really.	Mar 08 15:18
oiaohm	Anyone trying to use them could find them in a world of trouble.	Mar 08 15:18
lyle	not if patent trolls get them	Mar 08 15:19
oiaohm	Since Novell signed a legally binding agreement covering all there patents.	Mar 08 15:19
DaemonFC	I wonder if there are any HUD dollar homes here	Mar 08 15:19
lyle	oiaohm: where?	Mar 08 15:19
DaemonFC	the banks have foreclosed on everyone, so maybe	Mar 08 15:19
oiaohm	So they cannot be used against open source ever.	Mar 08 15:19
lyle	no, you are thinking of the patents they gave to OIN	Mar 08 15:19
lyle	but they didn’t give all of theirs to OIN	Mar 08 15:19
oiaohm	Part of the OIN agreement	Mar 08 15:19
oiaohm	To have a seat on there.	Mar 08 15:20
oiaohm	It not just give patents lyle	Mar 08 15:20
lyle	ok, but they won’t be Novell’s patents once they are sold to a patent troll	Mar 08 15:20
oiaohm	Now those patents being used against Microsoft and other closed source companies would not be in breach.	Mar 08 15:20
lyle	and the patent troll will not have agreed	Mar 08 15:20
lyle	that agreement only states that Novell won’t sue	Mar 08 15:21
oiaohm	Even when sold the take out of the patent agreements still stand unless those agreements expires.	Mar 08 15:21
oiaohm	The oin agreement does not have an expirely.	Mar 08 15:21
oiaohm	The Microsoft one does.	Mar 08 15:21