Dear IETF: I have learned from the Free Software Foundation that the IETF is considering as a proposed standard a form of TLS authorization based on a patent held by RedPhone. I would like to encourage the IETF to try to find a patent-free solution to the problem. The IETF is a highly respected group of standards writers. People on the IETF surely understand the importance of setting standards that are as free as possible for all to use. A growing group of people are seeing the benefits of using free and open source software for their desktop needs, as well as for infrastructural computing that happens largely behind the scenes. You are probably well aware of the threats that a patent-encumbered standard would pose to the construction of free software to implement the standard. Please consider the importance of establishing open standards that can be implemented by free software. Regards, Scott N. Walck -- Scott N. Walck Associate Professor of Physics Lebanon Valley College Annville, PA 17003 phone: 717-867-6153 fax: 717-867-6075 email: walck@xxxxxxx _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf