I have a new mantra: Interoperability. Interoperability. Interoperability.

"Practically everything we do on the net is due to standardization. If there were no web standards, the web would be a hell of a mess."

I wonder how much the folks at Acacia like that word now? I'm betting before they loved the word. Interoperability means ability of a system to use the parts or equipment of another system. The image formats GIF and JPG work on different operating systems and browser software. GIF and JPG have interoperability on the net. The two image formats are web standards. When Acacia was cooking up their patent suing model, I'm betting the word interoperability was used in a lot of investor pitches. "The interoperability of these patents we own will make millions!"

On Wednesday, May 21, 2003, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) announced they have a new policy for folks who want their technologies to be WC3 standardized. They told the world that the WC3 wishes to continue to implement royalty-free standards when it comes to interoperability.

Why is this a big deal? What does it have to do with Acacia and their streaming content patents?

The World Wide Web Consortium is a group who set standards for certain computer languages/codes. There are other such groups -OASIS, Liberty Alliance Project and the Workflow Management Coalition but when it comes to what happens on the web, the W3C is pretty much the big one. They set standards for HTML, URL, CSS, XML and more.

Practically everything we do on the net is due to standardization. If there were no web standards, the web would be a hell of a mess. The forefathers of the World Wide Web believed the Internet should be a place available to everyone. Those forefathers wanted to make sure that turning on the Internet should be as free as turning on a television or radio.

We may pay for the equipment, the power to run the machine and the Internet connection but we shouldn't have to pay for the magic. The web is like air waves and radio waves. Nobody should have to put a quarter in the box each time they change the channel or adjust the volume. The WC3 believes in royalty-free interoperability on the Internet.

I like the word interoperability. I'm wondering if Acacia likes that word now? It seems to me that streaming technology is essential to the interoperability of the World Wide Web. If broadband EVER CATCHES ON, streaming video will be used more than ever before. It's a vital part of the adult net. Where would we be without downloadable video? Acacia knew we needed streams and they went after us because we were an easy mark. Now I'm thinking the screw has turned.

The W3C may not be the US government but they do have over five hundred member organizations in their consortium. Among them are Microsoft, Sun, IBM and Cisco Systems. Internet founder Tim Berners Lee leads the W3C. So even if Acacia wins it's patent lawsuit, it's quite possible they'll never get the WC3 to accept those patents as web standards.

Then again, Microsoft and IBM are beginning to stray from the W3C path. Microsoft's .NET model was an attempt to get users to pay more for web-based apps. Some say the folks in Redmond had hopes they'd eventually dump the whole hard-copy deal and have a future where users were totally dependent on web-based software. I have a theory that Bill is still pissed he didn't invent email. At the moment though, the W3C rules.

So now my new mantra is interoperability. My new god is the W3C. I shall pray to them until this nasty Acacia business disappears. I shall think of a day when all we have to worry about is social condemnation bridled with oppressive government scrutiny and legislation. We have enough to deal with as an industry. While we are on the front lines in the battle for freedom of expression, it doesn't help to have some gang of marauders attack us from behind. VISA may be dicking us in the ass. The US Dept. of Justice is trying to pass laws against us, which have no real-life counterparts. On top of all that Acacia thinks they're going to get rich by sucking our blood.

The W3C is in our corner. Interoperability. Interoperability. Interoperability.