The Free Protocols Foundation is correct in their position.
The amount of misrepresentation in the industry is becoming
absurd. Most of it is bait-and-switch, but beyond the
consumers hurt by it, shareholders are sure to be, too.
I suggest that organizations keep a public registry of
companies which have made a pledge such as the following:
] To: corporate officer
] From: customer or shareholder
]
] Please indicate your agreement to this pledge or the
] reasons that you can not currently agree to it. Thank you!
]
] THE FREE OPEN STANDARDS PLEDGE
]
] Before we claim any protocol or software is "open,"
] "standard," or "free," we will take reasonable steps to
] insure that the system is unencumbered by licensing
] requirements.
]
] Any profits that can come from the misleading promotion of
] such systems will be in the long run far smaller than the
] damage done by misrepresentation.
]
] I am distributing this pledge to our sales, marketing,
] engineering, and legal departments.
]
] Signed,
]
] _________________
] corporate officer
Cheers,
James