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

[David Newall]

Paul Wayper wrote:
> Sorry, but to me it is disingenuous of Apple, Nokia and Microsoft to say
> "well, it might have a patent in there somewhere despite all that
> searching, we'd better not touch it being the good corporate citizens
> that we are".
>   

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.)

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

> Essentially, what the system needs is the ability to have some legally
> binding process where the standards group says "we're going to use
> Vorbis and Theora, if you have any patent claim on these patents you
> must say so now, otherwise we're going to use it and you won't be able
> to get a cent out of us."

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