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Jim Schoening: This is not true. If someone contributes IP to a document being worked on by an IEEE standards WG, they have given IEEE permission to change and distribute it. The legal term is "work for hire." They don't technically need to sign anything. It is smart to get a copyright release letter for large contributions, and I have been working with both document champions to get them.
Bob Spillers: There are more difficult issues - assume one signs a well drafted IP release to IEEE and the SUMO does not become a standard. In this event (and absent some specific agreement among the parties) I believe the IP reverts to its contributor.
Jim Schoening: The IP was never given up by the contributor. They still retain rights to the version that was submitted. They just gave IEEE rights to change and distribute it. If it didn't become a standard, IEEE would still own full rights to the changed document, which could probably be transfered if the various stakeholders agreed.
Bob Spillers: If it reverted to Teknowledge then the IEEE would have a very significant problem with the IRS about its non profit status - see Lee Auspitz's notes on this issue, I believe the IEEE Institute is taking his comments very seriously.
Jim Schoening: If SUMO received input from members, but didn't become a standard, I don't believe IEEE would ever give the rights to the later versions of SUMO back to just one company. Teknowledge would have retained rights to their original submission, but that would not include the inputs from the members.
RGS: SUO members should ask themselves if they contributed and if they signed an IP release. If not, the IEEE has a partial copyright. You own a part of it. If this is just a general description of how something should be made in order to conform, you don't own much. If it is code (specific axioms, etc.) you own whatever it is worth - IMHO still not much. The issue is that whatever its value might be vendors will not use it without clear rights.
Jim Schoening: This is not true. If people contribute IP to any documents the SUO WG is working on, they need to understand they are giving IEEE permission to change and distribute it. They can never ask for compensation unless a written agreement is established up front. They still retain their own rights to do as they wish with the version of the IP they submitted. Bottom line, if you don't want IEEE to change or distribute your IP, don't contribute it. This is how standards groups work. I don't see an issue.Jim Schoening