Davanum Srinivas' weblog

Thoroughly enjoyable get to know that "IBM has no patents in WS-Security". Just wish we get the same message from Verisign and MSFT as well.

<IBMer #1>:  WS-Security is a great Spec.  We need to submit it to a
standards body.
<IBMer #2>:  Which one?
<IBMer #1>:  OASIS is pretty fast and efficient.
<IBMer #2>:  Yeah, but we want it to be RF, and OASIS only has a RAND
policy.
<IBMer #1>:  Right.  Hey, we can make an RF commitment anyway.  Others
have done it.  And, they're working on an RF policy.  That'll be done
soon.
<IBMer #2>:  Great idea.  When we submit the Spec to OASIS, we'll submit a
commitment to license all necessary claims on RF terms.  That'll work.
. . .
<OASIS>:            Thanks for the Spec.  Here is your working group.
<OASIS Member #1>:  We've noticed that you've made an RF commitment for
your patents.
<IBMer #1>:         Right.  We want everybody to know that we're not going
to try to hold up this Spec and that everyone can implement it.
<OASIS Member #1>:  But where are the terms?
<IBMer #1>:         What terms?
<OASIS Member #1>:  The terms for the patent license.
<IBMer #1>:         But we don't have any patents.
<OASIS Member #1>:  Not now.  But you might find one.  And if you do, we
want to know that we'll like the terms.
<IBMer #1>:         That's silly.  Why not just wait until someone
actually announces that they have a patent.  You'd save a lot of time.
<OASIS Member #1>:  Because we want to make sure we have all of our ducks
lined up now.
<IBMer #1>:         But, potentially, every company in the world could
have a patent that reads on WS-Security.
<OASIS Member #1>:  So.
<IBMer #1>:         Does that mean that you want to negotiate patent terms
with everybody in case they just might have a patent.
<OASIS Member #1>:  Maybe.  We still want patent terms from you because
you helped write the Spec.
<IBMer #1>:         OK, but it'll be a waste of time.  Let me go talk to
my lawyer.
. . .
<IBMer #1>:         Here is your patent license.
<OASIS Member #1>:  Thanks.  We don't like the terms. . . .
<IBMer #1>:         But we don't have any patents.
<OASIS Member #1>:  . . .
. . .
<Apache>:    Great Spec that WS-Security.  Wish we could implement it.
<IBMer #3>:  Why can't you implement it.
<Apache>:    You have necessary patents that you won't license on terms we
like.
<IBMer #3>:  But the terms are fine -- the same terms that apply to all
other Internet standards.
<Apache>:    You sure?
<IBMer #3>:  Yeah.
<Apache>:    But still, we don't want to be forcing patents on our
licensees unless we know the terms are OK.
<IBMer #3>:  I understand, but we don't have any patents.
<Apache>:    Oh.  Right.  So, if you didn't have any patents, why did you
publish a patent license then.
<IBMer #3>:  [sigh]