From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-ID: <6050c5d28564bcadde60869a566120fc@borf.com>
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] x10
From: Brantley Coile <bwc@coraid.com>
In-Reply-To: <3385.165.247.30.229.1081390854.squirrel@wish.cooper.edu>
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Date: Thu,  8 Apr 2004 08:26:16 -0400
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> a@9srv.net said:
>> > If every human being through the ages did that, [hid knowledge]
>> > we'd all still be reinventing the wheel and throwing rocks.
>>
>> only in the absolute. allowing inventors to profit from their work
>> also encourages future invention. there's a balance to be struck.
>> current laws in the US involving generic drugs are one (very
>> imperfect) example. original, pre-Disney copyright is another.
>> =C3=A3=C2=82=C2=A2
>>
>=20
> OTOH, patent law *does* require that the particulars of the invention b=
e
> released. You just can't *use* it w/o permission.

And that is the crux of the matter.  You invent to do stuff help
create a product and sell it.  We (society) will give you a monopoly
on it for a very limited time if you tell us how you do it.  We will
stand on your shoulders and do new stuff based on what you have told
us.  Also, in 17 years we get to make more of them.

The original concept of the Patent was invented in England to
encourage Englishmen to figure out how the French were doing all the
fancy stuff they were doing in textiles.

Without doubt, if no patents, no Thomas Edison.  No Thomas Edison, no
power outlet.  No power outlet, all the computers would have to run off
kerosine.  : )

Brantley