[M4IF Discuss] RE: [M4IF News] To those concerned about MPEG-4 Licensing ...

[Dave Singer]

This is very much a personal suggestion and observation, as I am 
neither a patent lawyer nor an official representative of my company 
on patent and license issues, just a frustrated engineer...
Perhaps we should consider insisting that the license terms be 
available before a standard is finalized?  That would mean this 
agonizing delay would be avoided in future.  We have standards that 
ask for a royalty-free statement before the standard is finalized, so 
the concept of asking for terms earlier is not out of the question. 
The absence of license terms at a certain stage (CD?) would put the 
submitted technology in peril of removal from the specification.
At 23:14 +0200 5/2/02, Chiariglione Leonardo wrote:
>  >As everyone on this list knows, many concerns have been voiced over
>licensing of, notably, MPEG-4 Video.
>
>I am not voicing concern over the specific terms of the announced, but
>unconfirmed, MPEG-4 Video licensing. I am just reiterating what I said
>one year ago in San Jose at the M4IF meeting: if there is no way to get
>an MPEG-4 license, this is not fair and not reasonable (I do not know if
>it is discriminatory). Therefore such an ISO standard cannot be retained
>if normal people cannot get a license to use it.
>If the only answer for people wishing to use the standard, 3.5 years
>after it was approved, is that "the process is advancing" (thak you for
>informing us of this, we thought it was moving backwards) and that there
>are "hopes to have a further > > announcement in the near future" (thank
>you very much for your kind commitment), either we are dealing with too
>smart or too dull people. I, as the average subscriber to this list, am
>neither, but I know that, with such an attitude, there is no prospect to
>use the standard before the next ice age.
>One suggestion could be that the people working on MPEG-4 licensing
>reduce their engagements on the golf courses and turn a benevolent eye
>to such worldly matters as giving a chance to people who have believed
>in and supported a fair process, to be able to use its results. But,
>maybe, this is asking too much.
>Leonardo
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>From:	Rob Koenen [mailto:rkoenen   intertrust.com]
>Sent:	2002 maggio 01 mercoledì 01:40
>To:	M4IF news (E-mail)
>Subject:	[M4IF News] To those concerned about MPEG-4 Licensing
>...
>
>M4IF watchers,
>
>Coming Friday, May 3rd, M4IF is having a special meeting on MPEG-4
>licensing. This meeting will be attended by both potential licensees and
>licensors. No decisions on licensing will be taken (M4IF cannot do that)
>but the meeting will provide valuable input for the licensors to take
>into account.
>As everyone on this list knows, many concerns have been voiced over
>licensing of, notably, MPEG-4 Video.
>Many of these concerns have been brought to the awareness of the
>licensors, usually through MPEGLA. Unfortunately, not all concerned
>parties have made their opinions known. Some of you have just moved on
>to other technologies.  Because the licensors and MPEGLA *ARE*
>listening, it is crucial that your voices be heard.
>THIS IS perhaps YOUR LAST CHANCE to still voice concerns. If you want to
>use MPEG-4 technology, but have an issue with the structure of the
>license as it has been announced, then please let me know AS SOON AS
>POSSIBLE, but Thursday at the latest.
>Let me know on behalf of whom you are speaking and if your name can be
>used, or if you want to be 'anonimized'.
>I will bring all constructive input to the attention of the meeting,
>including the licensors and their representatives.
>Kind Regards,
>
>Rob Koenen
>President, M4IF
>
>ps: please do not reply to the list. A summary of all input will be
>provided, as well as a public report on the result of the meeting.
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-- 
David Singer
Apple Computer/QuickTime