RE: [chairs] Re-visiting IPR and OASIS

["Hal Lockhart" <hlockhar@bea.com>]

I am surprised there is no mention of the FTC proposals for reforming the US patent system, which are intended to address some of the problems specifically mentioned in the paper.

 

Hal

-----Original Message-----
From: David RR Webber [mailto:david@drrw.info]
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 2:22 PM
To: Chairs OASIS
Subject: [chairs] Re-visiting IPR and OASIS

Team,

 

The article here provides many insights and raises questions.

 

It would be interesting to have feedback from OASIS on exactly

how many of the issues raised are specifically addressed by

the proposed IPR changes for OASIS - as I'm sure as Chairs

we are going to get asked these same questions by our

constituents.

 

Thanks, DW

===============================================

 

The Problem of Software Patents in Standards
Bruce Perens, Paper for Brussels FFII "Regulating Knowledge" Conference

Patents, originally created to stimulate innovation, may now be having
the opposite effect, at least in the software industry. Plagued by an
exponential growth in software patents, many of which are not valid,
software vendors and developers must navigate a potential minefield to
avoid patent infringement and future lawsuits. Coupled with strategies
to exploit this confusion over patents, especially in standards setting
organizations, it appears that software advancement will become stifled
unless legal action is taken to resolve the situation. This article
examines the current situation facing software developers and users,
the methods employed by standards setting organizations to address
these problems, and recommends strategies for resolving the problem
caused by software patents.

http://www.perens.com/Articles/PatentFarming.html
See also the Conference Program:
http://en.eu.ffii.org/sections/bxl0411/program/