Bonum Certa Men Certa

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


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.




Boycott Novell logo

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

lylespeaking of patentsMar 08 15:17
lylewhat happens to novell's patents if they get bought by elliot?Mar 08 15:17
DaemonFCand the only reason those jobs came is because the companies don't have to pay any taxes to reside hereMar 08 15:18
lyleand elliot sells bits and piecesMar 08 15:18
oiaohmHighest bidder lyleMar 08 15:18
lylecould spell trouble for linuxMar 08 15:18
oiaohmNot really.Mar 08 15:18
oiaohmAnyone trying to use them could find them in a world of trouble.Mar 08 15:18
lylenot if patent trolls get themMar 08 15:19
oiaohmSince Novell signed a legally binding agreement covering all there patents.Mar 08 15:19
DaemonFCI wonder if there are any HUD dollar homes hereMar 08 15:19
lyleoiaohm: where?Mar 08 15:19
DaemonFCthe banks have foreclosed on everyone, so maybeMar 08 15:19
oiaohmSo they cannot be used against open source ever.Mar 08 15:19
lyleno, you are thinking of the patents they gave to OINMar 08 15:19
lylebut they didn't give all of theirs to OINMar 08 15:19
oiaohmPart of the OIN agreementMar 08 15:19
oiaohmTo have a seat on there.Mar 08 15:20
oiaohmIt not just give patents lyleMar 08 15:20
lyleok, but they won't be Novell's patents once they are sold to a patent trollMar 08 15:20
oiaohmNow those patents being used against Microsoft and other closed source companies would not be in breach.Mar 08 15:20
lyleand the patent troll will not have agreedMar 08 15:20
lylethat agreement only states that *Novell* won't sueMar 08 15:21
oiaohmEven when sold the take out of the patent agreements still stand unless those agreements expires.Mar 08 15:21
oiaohmThe oin agreement does not have an expirely.Mar 08 15:21
oiaohmThe Microsoft one does.Mar 08 15:21

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