With the Debian Free Software Guidelines, later known as the Open Source Definition, we were successful in defining the terms of discourse for an entire industry. We're at that sort of cusp once more, but this time concerning Open Standards rather than Open Source. Of late, we have evidence of a number of companies attempting to use patents coupled with standards to erect "toll booths on the Internet" in a way that would, intentionally or coincidentally, exclude Free Software. As with the DFSG, it's time to draw a line in the sand and defend it. Thus, here is a very early draft of Open Standards: Principles and Practice.
My intent is to refine this draft with community input, much as we refined the DFSG as Debian policy in a month-long discussion on Debian's private developer list. I made a few mistakes with the DFSG text and the Open Source organization that I don't want to repeat - I'll be watching out for them, you do too.
Thanks
Bruce Perens
