[Linux-aus] Fwd: Ogg Vorbis and Theora removed from HTML5

[Paul Wayper]

David Newall wrote:
> Consider the possibility that they have already identified patents
> that they fear are violated by Ogg.  Stating which patents they have
> in mind could be poking an ants' nest, so rather than bring the issue
> into the open, they quietly claim an unknown risk.  (Unknown by the
> world at large, even if known or suspected by them.)

Well, you raise a good point.  But I'm not sure that their helps anyone,
even themselves.  It certainly doesn't come up with a solution.

> I'm not certain that these companies are the bad guys.

A point on which we agree.

> To hell we will!  It would be contemptible, not to mention backwards,
> to think that someone could claim to impose conditions upon patent
> owners.

Why?  There are already many conditions imposed on patent owners.  You
only get the patent for a certain time, you can only upgrade it in
certain ways, and you can't retrospectively apply your patent to your
own work.  Not only that, but the process of actually creating a patent
is not the simple walk in the park that some might think.  It requires
time, money, a good lawyer, patience, and a good idea in the first place.

And why is it contemptible and backward to expect that those given a
lease on applying an idea to be restricted in how they apply that idea? 
Why should anyone have the right to patent something only to sit on it
for fifteen years and prevent anyone using it?  Why is fifteen years
applicable any more, given the current pace of development and
world-wide marketplace?  To me it's contemptible and backward to have
submarine patents and patent trolls at all.  Patents were invented so
that society could benefit from the invention, not be held hostage.

And who is this 'we' in your statement, anyway?

Sorry for getting sidelined, but if you're going to make bold statements
like that you need to back them up with argument.

Have fun,

Paul