Patents - and the right to own an idea
Google has taken out a patent on their website. This means that Google has the right to a website consisting of a large search box with two buttons underneath and a few links around.
The original news is available on Gawker.com . And the news is perhaps saying too much when there is a 4 ½-year long dispute between lawyers who have been settled to Google's advantage.
IBM is currently seeking a patent for a remote control, twitter, blogger or update your status, for example. Facebook, when watching television (as above I saw it first on Slashdot ).
I honestly do not know what companies think of today. Imagine if the church took a patent on the cross and the King of Denmark had secured the right to the heart. Or more seriously, if Ford had filled a patent on the car where we had so been today?
"Ford patents motor vehicle on wheels"
I understand perfectly well that investing in research and development of products is expensive and that products must be protected by some form of copyright. And it must be with an off-taste in the mouth that Novo Nordisk require so much money for life-saving medicines that can save lives in the Third World. But without market mechanisms would medicine might never have been developed in the absence of business potential.
But in light of the quote about apples and ideas in the previous blog post , so it seems somewhat old fashioned to keep things to themselves. I did not tell about the two scenarios described in the report " Anarconomy ", though now they are interesting enough.
One way it can go, is that some will fight for stronger legislation. Microsoft seems to have an interest that there should be a global patent system (see article on CNET News .) It can be seen as a response to the global impact that we are under. However, from a power perspective, the proposal only serves to reinforce monopolies.
Pirate Party's success in Sweden and the growth in other European countries are actually helping to escalate the scenario of a conflict.
Another scenario that I want to be an advocate for is where Open Source is seen as a welcome competitor to the commercial. There will still be money to be made to issue guarantees (in that it works). It can Open Source do not really, because there really is no charge to point back to and possibly. sue. Income basis will still exist, but only manifest itself in other products, or instead of adventures. The commercial will have some opportunities to tailor solutions and focus on the special of the general solutions in a manner other than that which is free.
On the whole, I have difficulty understanding that people are so busy protecting their ideas from others to build upon them. If it's because I never have had an original idea, then it might be a position with a short time, thanks. In this case it's just idealist who speaks right now. And later it will be so cynic, whether I have become rich on the idea or not.
