Re: [ProgSoc] nanotech and IP

[<jwan@nospam.student.law.uts.edu.au>]

On Tue, 15 May 2001, alister air wrote:

> IP laws are designed to extend monopolies.  

Extend? Rubbish. They create a limited monopoly for no maximum than 20
years. If the invention is fabulous, the patent holder would keep renewing
it for the 20 years, if not, either because the invention he has made has
been superseded or consumers aren't interest, he won't bother renewing.

> They seek to protect revenue
> (almost never for the people who actually *do* the research, of course) 

And you have evidence of this? If a corporation patents something, who do
you think took on the risk in the first place. The employees/inventors
just worked for their salary. If they didn't make something then it's the
corporation who foots the bill for all the r&d gone down the gurgler. If
an employee comes up with something great, they might get a bonus by
getting the patent for it. I think this is how IBM operates.

> by preventing other people from duplicating pretty much anything.

Yes, that is the basic definition of a patent.

> What purpose would IP laws have in an environment where anything can be
> created?  
> If hardware can be duplicated with the same ease software
> currently is duplicated, who benefits from keeping hardware secret?  IP
> "owners" benefit at the direct expense of *everybody* else.  This is
> nonsensical.

Who benefits - well the hardware manufacturer does. Who loses? It's
competitors and possible copycats. Does the consumer lose? Maybe/Maybe
not. It makes good business sense to not rip off your customers by
charging ridiculously high prices for patented products/processes. If the
patent holder tries to push the price too high, there are licencing laws
that govern that and also it will create sufficient interest/demand for
others to try and come up with different/new technology to get around the
patent.

IP owners do benefit at the expensive of everybody else, that is the
nature of a patent. You obviously detest the idea of reward for hardwork.
The majority of society does not see it that way. You know maybe one day
everyone will have these so-called replicators, like the ones on the
Starship Enterprise, and we all live in this utopian world free from all
the property laws that exist today. But until then, keep your little
social experiment back in the box because as soon as you mention no
compensation for doing work people just ain't hearing you.


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