blog/RAND_terms___non_reasonable_and_discriminatory.html

   1 <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
   2           "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
   3 <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" dir="ltr">
   4   <head>
   5     <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
   6     <title>Petter Reinholdtsen: RAND terms - non-reasonable and discriminatory</title>
   7     <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/style.css" />
   8     <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/vim.css" />
   9
  10
  11   </head>
  12   <body>
  13     <div class="title">
  14  <h1>
  15      <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/">Petter Reinholdtsen</a>
  16
  17  </h1>
  18
  19 </div>
  20
  21
  22     <div class="entry">
  23       <div class="title">RAND terms - non-reasonable and discriminatory</div>
  24       <div class="date">19th April 2012</div>
  25       <div class="body"><p>Here in Norway, the
  26 <a href="http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/fad.html?id=339"> Ministry of
  27 Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs</a> is behind
  28 a <a href="http://standard.difi.no/forvaltningsstandarder">directory of
  29 standards</a> that are recommended or mandatory for use by the
  30 government.  When the directory was created, the people behind it made
  31 an effort to ensure that everyone would be able to implement the
  32 standards and compete on equal terms to supply software and solutions
  33 to the government.  Free software and non-free software could compete
  34 on the same level.</p>
  35
  36 <p>But recently, some standards with RAND
  37 (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reasonable_and_non-discriminatory_licensing">Reasonable
  38 And Non-Discriminatory</a>) terms have made their way into the
  39 directory.  And while this might not sound too bad, the fact is that
  40 standard specifications with RAND terms often block free software from
  41 implementing them.  The reasonable part of RAND mean that the cost per
  42 user/unit is low,and the non-discriminatory part mean that everyone
  43 willing to pay will get a license.  Both sound great in theory.  In
  44 practice, to get such license one need to be able to count users, and
  45 be able to pay a small amount of money per unit or user.  By
  46 definition, users of free software do not need to register their use.
  47 So counting users or units is not possible for free software projects.
  48 And given that people will use the software without handing any money
  49 to the author, it is not really economically possible for a free
  50 software author to pay a small amount of money to license the rights
  51 to implement a standard when the income available is zero.  The result
  52 in these situations is that free software are locked out from
  53 implementing standards with RAND terms.</p>
  54
  55 <p>Because of this, when I see someone claiming the terms of a
  56 standard is reasonable and non-discriminatory, all I can think of is
  57 how this really is non-reasonable and discriminatory.  Because free
  58 software developers are working in a global market, it does not really
  59 help to know that software patents are not supposed to be enforceable
  60 in Norway.  The patent regimes in other countries affect us even here.
  61 I really hope the people behind the standard directory will pay more
  62 attention to these issues in the future.</p>
  63
  64 <p>You can find more on the issues with RAND, FRAND and RAND-Z terms
  65 from Simon Phipps
  66 (<a href="http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/simon-says/2010/11/rand-not-so-reasonable/">RAND:
  67 Not So Reasonable?</a>).</p>
  68
  69 <p>Update 2012-04-21: Just came across a
  70 <a href="http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2012/04/of-microsoft-netscape-patents-and-open-standards/index.htm">blog
  71 post from Glyn Moody</a> over at Computer World UK warning about the
  72 same issue, and urging people to speak out to the UK government.  I
  73 can only urge Norwegian users to do the same for
  74 <a href="http://www.standard.difi.no/hoyring/hoyring-om-nye-anbefalte-it-standarder">the
  75 hearing taking place at the moment</a> (respond before 2012-04-27).
  76 It proposes to require video conferencing standards including
  77 specifications with RAND terms.</p>
  78 </div>
  79
  80       <div class="tags">Tags: <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/english">english</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/multimedia">multimedia</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/nuug">nuug</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/standard">standard</a>, <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/video">video</a>.</div>
  81
  82
  83     </div>
  84
  85
  86
  87
  88     <div id="sidebar">
  89
  90
  91
  92 <h2>Archive</h2>
  93 <ul>
  94
  95 <li>2014
  96 <ul>
  97
  98 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2014/01/">January (1)</a></li>
  99
 100 </ul></li>
 101
 102 <li>2013
 103 <ul>
 104
 105 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/01/">January (11)</a></li>
 106
 107 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/02/">February (9)</a></li>
 108
 109 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/03/">March (9)</a></li>
 110
 111 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/04/">April (6)</a></li>
 112
 113 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/05/">May (9)</a></li>
 114
 115 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/06/">June (10)</a></li>
 116
 117 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/07/">July (7)</a></li>
 118
 119 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/08/">August (3)</a></li>
 120
 121 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/09/">September (5)</a></li>
 122
 123 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/10/">October (7)</a></li>
 124
 125 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/11/">November (9)</a></li>
 126
 127 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2013/12/">December (3)</a></li>
 128
 129 </ul></li>
 130
 131 <li>2012
 132 <ul>
 133
 134 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/01/">January (7)</a></li>
 135
 136 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/02/">February (10)</a></li>
 137
 138 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/03/">March (17)</a></li>
 139
 140 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/04/">April (12)</a></li>
 141
 142 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/05/">May (12)</a></li>
 143
 144 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/06/">June (20)</a></li>
 145
 146 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/07/">July (17)</a></li>
 147
 148 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/08/">August (6)</a></li>
 149
 150 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/09/">September (9)</a></li>
 151
 152 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/10/">October (17)</a></li>
 153
 154 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/11/">November (10)</a></li>
 155
 156 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2012/12/">December (7)</a></li>
 157
 158 </ul></li>
 159
 160 <li>2011
 161 <ul>
 162
 163 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/01/">January (16)</a></li>
 164
 165 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/02/">February (6)</a></li>
 166
 167 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/03/">March (6)</a></li>
 168
 169 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/04/">April (7)</a></li>
 170
 171 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/05/">May (3)</a></li>
 172
 173 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/06/">June (2)</a></li>
 174
 175 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/07/">July (7)</a></li>
 176
 177 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/08/">August (6)</a></li>
 178
 179 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/09/">September (4)</a></li>
 180
 181 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/10/">October (2)</a></li>
 182
 183 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/11/">November (3)</a></li>
 184
 185 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2011/12/">December (1)</a></li>
 186
 187 </ul></li>
 188
 189 <li>2010
 190 <ul>
 191
 192 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/01/">January (2)</a></li>
 193
 194 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/02/">February (1)</a></li>
 195
 196 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/03/">March (3)</a></li>
 197
 198 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/04/">April (3)</a></li>
 199
 200 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/05/">May (9)</a></li>
 201
 202 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/06/">June (14)</a></li>
 203
 204 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/07/">July (12)</a></li>
 205
 206 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/08/">August (13)</a></li>
 207
 208 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/09/">September (7)</a></li>
 209
 210 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/10/">October (9)</a></li>
 211
 212 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/11/">November (13)</a></li>
 213
 214 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2010/12/">December (12)</a></li>
 215
 216 </ul></li>
 217
 218 <li>2009
 219 <ul>
 220
 221 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/01/">January (8)</a></li>
 222
 223 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/02/">February (8)</a></li>
 224
 225 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/03/">March (12)</a></li>
 226
 227 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/04/">April (10)</a></li>
 228
 229 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/05/">May (9)</a></li>
 230
 231 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/06/">June (3)</a></li>
 232
 233 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/07/">July (4)</a></li>
 234
 235 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/08/">August (3)</a></li>
 236
 237 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/09/">September (1)</a></li>
 238
 239 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/10/">October (2)</a></li>
 240
 241 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/11/">November (3)</a></li>
 242
 243 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2009/12/">December (3)</a></li>
 244
 245 </ul></li>
 246
 247 <li>2008
 248 <ul>
 249
 250 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2008/11/">November (5)</a></li>
 251
 252 <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/archive/2008/12/">December (7)</a></li>
 253
 254 </ul></li>
 255
 256 </ul>
 257
 258
 259
 260 <h2>Tags</h2>
 261 <ul>
 262
 263  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/3d-printer">3d-printer (13)</a></li>
 264
 265  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/amiga">amiga (1)</a></li>
 266
 267  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/aros">aros (1)</a></li>
 268
 269  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bankid">bankid (4)</a></li>
 270
 271  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bitcoin">bitcoin (7)</a></li>
 272
 273  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bootsystem">bootsystem (13)</a></li>
 274
 275  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/bsa">bsa (2)</a></li>
 276
 277  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/chrpath">chrpath (2)</a></li>
 278
 279  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian">debian (92)</a></li>
 280
 281  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/debian edu">debian edu (144)</a></li>
 282
 283  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/digistan">digistan (10)</a></li>
 284
 285  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/docbook">docbook (10)</a></li>
 286
 287  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/drivstoffpriser">drivstoffpriser (4)</a></li>
 288
 289  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/english">english (233)</a></li>
 290
 291  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/fiksgatami">fiksgatami (21)</a></li>
 292
 293  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/fildeling">fildeling (12)</a></li>
 294
 295  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/freeculture">freeculture (12)</a></li>
 296
 297  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/freedombox">freedombox (5)</a></li>
 298
 299  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/frikanalen">frikanalen (11)</a></li>
 300
 301  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/intervju">intervju (39)</a></li>
 302
 303  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/isenkram">isenkram (7)</a></li>
 304
 305  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/kart">kart (18)</a></li>
 306
 307  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ldap">ldap (8)</a></li>
 308
 309  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/lenker">lenker (6)</a></li>
 310
 311  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ltsp">ltsp (1)</a></li>
 312
 313  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/mesh network">mesh network (7)</a></li>
 314
 315  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/multimedia">multimedia (25)</a></li>
 316
 317  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/norsk">norsk (239)</a></li>
 318
 319  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/nuug">nuug (161)</a></li>
 320
 321  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/offentlig innsyn">offentlig innsyn (9)</a></li>
 322
 323  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/open311">open311 (2)</a></li>
 324
 325  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/opphavsrett">opphavsrett (45)</a></li>
 326
 327  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/personvern">personvern (67)</a></li>
 328
 329  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/raid">raid (1)</a></li>
 330
 331  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/reprap">reprap (11)</a></li>
 332
 333  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/rfid">rfid (2)</a></li>
 334
 335  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/robot">robot (9)</a></li>
 336
 337  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/rss">rss (1)</a></li>
 338
 339  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/ruter">ruter (4)</a></li>
 340
 341  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/scraperwiki">scraperwiki (2)</a></li>
 342
 343  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sikkerhet">sikkerhet (33)</a></li>
 344
 345  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sitesummary">sitesummary (4)</a></li>
 346
 347  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/skepsis">skepsis (4)</a></li>
 348
 349  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/standard">standard (44)</a></li>
 350
 351  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/stavekontroll">stavekontroll (3)</a></li>
 352
 353  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/stortinget">stortinget (9)</a></li>
 354
 355  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/surveillance">surveillance (21)</a></li>
 356
 357  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/sysadmin">sysadmin (1)</a></li>
 358
 359  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/valg">valg (8)</a></li>
 360
 361  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/video">video (39)</a></li>
 362
 363  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/vitenskap">vitenskap (4)</a></li>
 364
 365  <li><a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/tags/web">web (28)</a></li>
 366
 367 </ul>
 368
 369
 370     </div>
 371     <p style="text-align: right">
 372  Created by <a href="http://steve.org.uk/Software/chronicle">Chronicle v4.6</a>
 373 </p>
 374
 375   </body>
 376 </html>