The decision by Microsoft to accept (and pay for) others' patent claims was designed to create peace in the technology world. Pay 'em off and move forward.

But peace is not at hand. New patent claimants pop up every day. Now Forgent Networks is suing everyone in sight, claiming it owns JPEG, and its rights expire in 2006.

When Forgent first announced its intention to sue over what we've long thought to be a royalty-free technology it was criticized by none-other than Richard Clarke, now best-known for his 9-11 testimony, but at that time the Administration's point man on technology and security issues. Clarke speculated tha the ISO would have to withdraw the JPEG specification.

But that's not the issue. The issue is that nothing may be allowed to exist royalty-free. Someone will always pop-up, with a patent or copyright, claiming rights to what the royalty-free world is trying to use.

And if the price of Microsoft's peace is perpetual blackmail, the price is too high.

We need patent and copyright reform now.