Standards Track -- FW: [members] Notice regarding IPR Policy change

Folks,

Just in case you missed this notice, as from October 15 Oasis will require TCs to clearly indicated whether documents are ‘Standards Track” or “Non-Standards Track”.

I believe the majority (all) of our SSTC documents today are “Standards Track” (correct me).

NB. For those who also attend the IETF, my understanding is that the Oasis “Non-Standards Track” is *not* the same as the IETF Informational RFC (which in many cases is a technical spec).

Here are some relevant points from the FAQ:

> OASIS TCs will designate each TC deliverable as being

> in one track or the other, under the TC

> Process. The main effect of that designation is that

> non-standards-track documents will not have the

> patent-rights protections of the OASIS IPR Policy;

> however, OASIS copyright and trademark

> requirements still will apply to them.

> What kind of documents can a TC put in the

> non-standards track?

> The TC Process will define this track as deliverables

> that are intended to be explanatory and

> informative in nature. Non-standards-track documents

> will not be allowed to contain any

> normative statements that define mandatory

> conformance requirements. (See the definition of

> "Normative Portion" in amended Section 2(16).)

> That means most of our traditional

> specifications will not be eligible for this track.

> Standards that create normative compliance

> requirements should and will remain within the

> usual protections of the OASIS IPR Policy

> patent provisions. Non-normative white papers

> or slide-decks, on the other hand, generally are

> intended to be read and considered, not directly

> implemented. In such cases, there may be no

> need for patent licensing of an implementation,

> as there's nothing to implement. So the TC may

> elect to place them in the non-standards track,

> which will exclude them from those patent related

> rights and duties.

/thomas/

__________________________________________

From: Scott McGrath [mailto:scott.mcgrath@oasis-open.org]
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 10:59 AM
To: Members
Subject: [members] Notice regarding IPR Policy change

OASIS Members,

The OASIS Board of Directors completed a significant review of the consortium's IPR Policy, which governs rights and obligations concerning OASIS specifications, and approved amendments to that Policy. We believe these changes which create a distinction between standards-track documents and non-standards track documents and also improves the treatment of "maintenance" revisions to an originally-approved TC specification are a significant improvement for you and encourage you to review these changes. These changes take effect 15 October 2010.

The revised policy can be found at
http://www.oasis-open.org/who/intellectualproperty-2010-07-28.php

A red-line version showing all changed is located at:
http://www.oasis-open.org/who/intellectualproperty-changes-2010-07-28.pdf

A non-normative FAQ describing the changes can be found at:
http://www.oasis-open.org/who/intellectualproperty-changes-faq-2010-07-28.pdf

While the Board and staff of OASIS consider these changes a significant improvement for the members of OASIS, you retain the right to withdraw from the organization if you choose to not be bound by the policy when it take effect 15 October.

Thank you for reviewing these changes and your continued participation. As always, I encourage you to contact me directly to discuss this or any aspect of your OASIS membership.

Scott McGrath
COO

Scott.mcgrath@oasis-open.org
+1 (978) 667-5115 x202

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