[Fwd: [chairs] [Fwd: New requirements on Individual Members]]

["Monica J. Martin" <Monica.Martin@Sun.COM>]

Everyone, see this comment forwarded to chairs. I'd encourage any 
comments to Dale or I regarding the overall IPR policy including this 
item. Thank you.

Steve Hanna wrote:

> Other OASIS chairs,
>
> I suspect you may not be aware of the major changes
> in requirements for Individual Members included in
> the recent proposed IPR Policy. Individual Membership
> would no longer be available to anyone whose IP is
> owned by his or her employer (as required by most
> employment agreements).
>
> Please review my comments below. Whatever your
> opinions on this topic, I encourage you to submit
> comments to ipr-member-review@lists.oasis-open.org
> before the end of the comment period (September 10).
> I also encourage you to inform your TCs of this
> proposed change and encourage your members to submit
> comments on this or any other aspects of the proposed
> revised IPR Policy.
>
> For your reference, the draft IPR Policy is at
> http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/members-only/download.php/7515 
>
> and the FAQ is at
> http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/members-only/download.php/7554 
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Hanna
> Co-chair, OASIS PKI TC
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: New requirements on Individual Members
> Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 11:37:14 -0400
> From: Steve Hanna <shanna@funk.com>
> To: ipr-member-review@lists.oasis-open.org
>
> The new proposed IPR Policy includes a most
> unwelcome and unfortunate change. Here's the text
> in the FAQ that describes it:
>
> 3.6. Are there changes to the eligibility rules
>      for Individual members?
>
>      Yes. If an individual’s IP is owned by his or her
>      employer, (as is required by most employment agreements),
>      he or she will be unable to continue to participate under
>      the OASIS Individual Membership level.
>
> In my view, this change would be an awful mistake.
> Here are three reasons why:
>
> 1) Individual Members are among the most enthusiastic
>    and energetic members of my TC and many others.
>
> 2) For many organizations, Individual Membership is
>    a path to Organizational Membership. They start
>    by having one Individual Member. Then several
>    more join and their management sees that OASIS
>    is important to their business.
>
> 3) Making this change would make OASIS less open,
>    ensuring that only organizations or unemployed
>    individuals can participate.
>
> The FAQ states that this change is being made "to
> ensure that Contributions have clear licensing
> obligations and that licenses are available to
> implement all OASIS Standards and specifications."
>
> I support this goal but I think it could better
> be achieved by requiring Individual Members whose
> IP is owned by their employers to have those
> employers sign documents agreeing to the
> necessary obligations.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Hanna
> Co-chair, OASIS PKI TC
>
>