WS-* with no IP restriction

Yesterday the identity peope were abuzz at the Identity Open Space meeting in Santa Clara. Apparently the rumor is that Microsoft today will disclose its intentions to set WS-* free. They will promise to never enforce IP rights for any of the WS-* standards related to CardSpace.

People seem to think this is the bee’s knees. Excuse me if I sound sceptic. It’s not so much that I don’t believe Microsoft’s intentions, but the simple fact that there are several more companies claiming IP rights to the WS-* standards that CardSpace depends on.

And don’t forget the use of these standards is ultimately goverened by the OASIS IP rights statement, since the standards are developed through that standards organization, anyway.

If Microsoft does announce its intentions to play nicely, it’s a wonderful step in the right direction, but until these clouds have dispersed off the blue IP freedom sky, I think we should hold the celebrations.