[icebraining]

"We" certainly don't control the web; for the most part, the organizations that develop the most influential browsers do, with some input from the W3C, which is itself controlled by its 420 members.

The population at large mostly has a say by deciding which browser they use, and as long as people use DRM-friendly browsers, DRM is what they'll get.

[simbalion]

Your comment first says that Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, and Apple control the web and then says actually people control it by which browsers they use.

Truth is it's a mix. Mozilla, Google, Microsoft and Apple are corporations of people who's influence is small and meaningful just like yours or mine.

When I read this article it seemed to suggest that the W3C is not fitting within this mostly open society.

History has shown us that DRM benefits only the largest richest and most single-minded corporations, and usually at some detriment to the user.

[RBO2]

> the organizations that develop the most influential browsers do

The problem here is that 3/4 browser makers are also DRMs makers (Apple, Microsoft, Google) and are also the biggest W3C donators.

[gsnedders]

> are also the biggest W3C donators

I'd be surprised if that were true. (Do they donate anything? I'd be surprised if they did, I suspect they merely pay their membership dues.) The membership fees come at five levels, mostly dependent upon annual revenue; Apple, Microsoft, Google all pay the same as Adobe, Boeing, Dell, Facebook, HP, LG, Netflix, Siemens, Sony, Disney…

[RBO2]

You're right, I meant "contributors". It is not only a question of money: these companies can dedicate people to lead the standardization tasks and push their own interests. That's mostly visible at MPEG with patents (yet another hot subject).

Standards are very important. But the way we make them is still highly improvable.