[Arm-netbook] Patent-Left

[Adam Van Ymeren]

On February 21, 2018 7:49:06 AM EST, Jean Flamelle <eaterjolly at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>None of these standards organizations have problems owning patents,
>only free culture advocates do. Maybe some slight cognitive dissonance
>is involved (sorry to say so bluntly Luke), but, if these types of
>precedents are to be held up absent patents-held, that would mean an
>expansion of standard copyright I don't think many courts would be
>comfortable with.
>
>At the end of the day, if people can just copy the standard
>disregarding anyone present as a certification entity, there is no
>economic support to be had for anyone involved. It wouldn't agree with
>my morals if someone had to ask Luke's permission to make an EOMA
>card, but I know otherwise isn't practical yet.

Anyone can make an EOMA card, just like you can make a USB device or PCI Express card.  However you cannot use the EOMA certification mark without Luke's permission.

Just like you can't use the USB certification mark (that little USB Compatible sticker you see on the box of any USB peripheral) without the permission of the USB authority.

This is done to protect consumers.  If something bears the certification mark of a standard, then you as a consumer can be confident that it is compatible with the standard, that it will work with your other USB devices or your existing EOMA enclosure.


It's the same as the free software foundations Respects Your Freedom mark.  You need the permission of the FSF to use that mark.  This protects consumer because they can see that mark and be confident that the device respects their freedoms.



This is why Luke is very vocal about protecting the EOMA mark.  If a bunch of projects are built that purport to be EOMA compatible devices, and they end up being incompatible or worse dangerous, it will make the EOMA certification mark useless and destroy the reputation of the project as a whole, stopping any hope of EOMA having the global impact were aiming for.

First impressions are everything in technology.  If rumours start that EOMA cards aren't as compatible as advertised or are dangerous, most people will write off the project in their minds as a failure and never look at it again.


You don't need anyone's permission to follow a standard, you do need their permission to market yourself as having done so.  This protects consumers and IMO is a good thing.


I like the confidence the RYF mark gives me when I'm shopping for electronics.


I think there's some misconceptions about what Luke is trying to prevent.