W3C Exec Summary

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an International Consortium where Member and External organizations, a full-time technical staff, and the public work together to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing Web standards such as protocols and guidelines that ensure long-term growth for the Web.

• Goals: Interoperability, Universality, Functionalities
• Neutral/nonforprofit, consensus based, open participation, open results
• ~450 members, ~70 staff,
• ~50 Working Groups ~20 Coordination Groups and Interest Groups
• Hosting: MIT (America), ERCIM (Europe) and Keio University (Japan) + 18Offices (Brazil!)
• Advisory Board, Technical Architecture Group
• Liaisons with 40+ other standards bodies, Accountable to the global Public

What Open Standards means ?

A lot of debates nowadays for a common definition of Open Standards(IGF, EC, etc)

• Transparent process
• Open participation
• Technical Consensus
• Running code
• Free and Persistent Specification
• W3C Patent Policy for Web Technologies

W3C Standards Track

W3C Results

Consensus based decision

Chair must consider all legitimate views and objections, and endeavor to resolve them.

Decisions may be made at f2f or email

Good Standing participants should make decisions.

Each WG may introduce quorum/conditions.

Voting is possible.

2 options:

• Consensus: A substantial number of individuals in the set support the decision and nobody in the set registers a Formal Objection. Abstention is OK, Unanimity is seeked.
• Dissent: At least one individual in the set registers a Formal Objection.

See http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/policies.html

Organisation matters

• W3C is ~100 staff, a partnership between 3 hosts

  and 18 offices

  and ~500 members

• We are funded by our members (from industry to academia)

  and some government grants

  and sponsor/supporting programs

• We'd like to "incorporate" but don't know which legal framework is best adapted to our needs, if any exist.

  e.g. allow tax-deductible support world wide ?