First...
People are also known to be *reasonable* in the patent world.
Then later...
Otherwise, how will you protect your one + year of effort? Praying on the
goodwill of fellow human
beings?
You have to make up your mind on whether you view people as reasonable or as unreasonable. From your post it appears you consider corporations as having "goodwill" and others as not having much of it. Patents are governed by laws, not by "reasonableness". You definitely haven't read much about frivolous patents otherwise you wouldn't say that "people are known to be reasonable in the patent world". Even big-shot companies who have amassed so-called defensive patents are unanimous in wanting patent reform (google IBM, Microsoft and patent reform). So I'm not sure who these "reasonable people" are.
If you buy a car, you ensure you get a log book, when you buy land, you
ensure you get a title deed,
invent something? Get a patent. Otherwise, how will you protect your one + year of effort?
You are confusing issues here. I cannot, independent of you, legally buy/own the same car/piece-of-land that you already legally own. I can always independently invent the same things you have, completely legally. Infact, that's the essence of competition, which is the genesis of free markets, which is the cornerstone of capitalism. And in any case, since you're such a fan of capitalism, why should the government help protect your invention? Do it yourself... get it to market, or whatever else you think will suffice.
Systems such as feudalism etc. Socialism failed as it stifled the need for
individual productivity.
Capitalism rewards the individual (not necessaryily equitably, but a reward, all the same)
Simple labels never capture the complexities of real life. Take the US, the king of capitalism: what do you call the trillion dollar bank and car-manufacturer bailouts, loan guarantees etc? Nationalization. That is what "socialists" do, not "capitalists". And please don't say "too big to fail, system risk, etc". The whole idea of capitalism and free-markets is that "the market giveth, and the market taketh. Blessed be Adam Smith." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wealth_of_Nations) Back to patents. Why should the government offer inventors *any* protection? Why not let competition (fair or unfair) sort out the winners and losers? Until you can satisfactorily answer that question, then you don't really understand the function of patents. Saidi On Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 1:42 AM, Phares Kariuki <pkariuki@gmail.com> wrote:
You describe human development very well- incidentally which was never
a corporation in the first place. Unfortunately, you then proceed to
call for human development privatisation?
Well, it was not a corporation, but it has always had the "elements" of a corporation. Systems such as feudalism etc. Socialism failed as it stifled the need for individual productivity. Capitalism rewards the individual (not necessaryily equitably, but a reward, all the same)
Would folks here be aware that today there are people in Developed
Countries who sit all days combing through dictionaries and patenting
words? There is now a matured "IP Industry" trading on those names out
there and don't be surprised if soon you wake up only to find out that
you cannot use your name on the internet - because someone patented or
registered it as a trademark. It's baaad! This is not a joke!
You are comparing the best case Open Source Scenario with worst case patents. Apple was able to win against cyber squatters http://news.cnet.com/Apple-wins-iTunes-cybersquatting-battle/2100-1030_3-561.... People are also known to be *reasonable* in the patent world. The iPhone (brand name) is a Cisco brand for their IP phones, but they let brand go to apple (court battles notwithstanding :) ). Given that items like the kiondo are national heritage, and the government controls the same, was it not the government (or whatever aspiring local entrepreneur) to patent it? Many times, people have the money to patent, they just lack the initiative. If you buy a car, you ensure you get a log book, when you buy land, you ensure you get a title deed, invent something? Get a patent. Otherwise, how will you protect your one + year of effort? Praying on the goodwill of fellow human beings?
-- With Regards,
Phares Kariuki
| T: +254 734 810 802 | E: pkariuki@gmail.com | Twitter: kaboro | Skype: kariukiphares |
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