From Revising W3C Process Community Group
6.9 Obsoleting or Rescinding a W3C Recommendation
It should be possible for the Director restore a Rescinded
Recommendation. We cannot predict the future. Suppose the
Director rescinded a Recommendation because of a patent issue
but then that patent is invalidated. We might want to restore
the Recommendation. The Patent Policy says:
"If the Recommendation is rescinded by W3C, then no new licenses
need be granted but any licenses granted before the Recommendation
was rescinded shall remain in effect."
I believe that allows room to restore a Rescinded Recommendation
and get new licenses.
Discussion
CMN: I agree here too, although it *feels* different. But the process is in
all cases the same - an AC review, and subsequent Director's decision.
I note that since W3C has never rescinded a Recommendation this is somewhat theoretical.
Also, I believe the Patent Policy implications are clear - a commitment
was made to a document, should that document be published as a Recommendation.
By Restoring the Recommendation the condition is once more fulfilled, and
new licenses are granted.
I wanted to call that out, before people reacted to the different
feeling and suggested this was a different thing in practice.
DS: I don’t think reversing a rescinsion is that easy at all.
We may, as a community, have taken steps consequent on something
being rescinded and knowing it can’t get new licenses. The licensors
may have taken steps knowing that they cannot be asked to grant new
licenses. And so on.
I fear reversing rescinsion is not as simple as reversing obsoletion.
Deferred
