[wilhelmtux-discussion] HTML 5 to be non-free?

Robert Ribnitz ribnitz at linuxbourg.ch
Son Apr 6 23:57:41 CEST 2003


Hello List,

I found an article on kuro5hin as to the plans of the W3C,

As I heard the W3C (responsible for standards like HTML or XML) is
considering allowing non-free extensions to become part of new
standards. While its certainly 'cool' to have a standard for Macromedia
Flash, or Microsoft Active Server Pages (just picked two products, there
are others. I endorse neither), it would also mean that those
companies no longer need to innovate, and that they
could clamp down the code. If I am informed correctly, what the W3C
plans is to ask for a royalty-free license (Absence of Cost vs. Freedom
of Source, MSIE vs. GNU/Linux). It would also mean that the implementation of a standard in free software could be impossible due to patent issues. 
(Free Software doesn't allow restrictions to the intended purpose, or limiting use to certain groups of people. It also guarantees the freedom to modify, and to redistribute those modifications).

Aricle on Kuro5hin:
 http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/4/2/8593/27458

They say there's time to comment on the development till the end of
April of this year.

what do you think?

Robert Ribnitz