Dear Sir/Madam, I have just heard that a draft IEFT standard, TLS authorisation, which is apparently patented by a company called RedPhone Security is being proposed as a standard. If this is true, I wish to register my protest against such a move. IETF standards have historically been one of the few kinds that can be implemented, without debilitating restrictions, by anyone who wishes to do so. This openness and freedom to create is what I believe has driven the Internet forward to where it is now. Imagine for a moment that something as essential as TCP/IP or HTTP had been patented. We would have none of the diversity and universality that enables the Internet to function so freely and smoothly. Or if SSL was handicapped, preventing people from using free browsers like Mozilla Firefox, and having to make the choice between no security or a proprietary, buggy, insecure, Windows-only browser. For the health of the web, essential standards need to be completely free as so to ensure everyone the ability to use them, thus ensuring maximum interoperability. If TLS authorisation has indeed been patented, no matter how worthy technically, I do not wish to see it become an IEFT standard. Your sincerely, Leon Major _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf