Re: Where would we be without these important patents?

On Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:58:07 -0000, "Andy F." <never.mind@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

"nospam" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:zvednY-1KehNvYHZRVn-pA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Andy F. wrote:

For example, do you remember when Sinclair produced
the world's first home computer?

I do. I played with it. And I see no connection betwen the patents and the
fact that the design become obsolete.

It's just one example refuting Roy's claim that innovators almost always
have an advantage in the market.

Nope. It confirms it. Sinclair made a ton of dough. Of course, he
subsequently lost most of it in ill-advised ventures, but that does
not affect the fact that he had an advantage by being first (actually
he wasn't first to produce a home computer, just first to produce a
really cheap one that was nevertheless useful pretty much right out of
the box).

Some of the 'copycats' who borrowed
Sinclair's idea ended up making more money out of it than he did.

They added a lot of better ideas than his, too.

Nonsense. Unless you patent something useful, the patent isn't worth a
thing.

One click checkout by amazon.com.
Push technology by ntp.

Just to enumerate 2 trivial patents which WON in court.

Both of those technologies are useful.

But obvious, and in no sense dependent on patent privileges for their
development. Give your head a shake.

-- Roy L
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Designing Another File System
    ... |> I've been interested in file system design for a while, ... I'll definitely code it myself if I decide to sell licenses to use the ... | people here generally dislike software patents for good reasons. ...
    (Linux-Kernel)
  • Re: New 10" Newtonian Telescope Being Created
    ... telescope, then you know nothing of the subject matter. ... patents are granted "they" will come to you. ... e) Other inventors are much too secretive and ... f) You don't need a computer to design a telescope. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Attitudes toward invention, my rant for the day
    ... I don't have a full list of Maxim's patents but I believe as well as ... remember Maxim doing any electrical design work. ... This was unlike the Wright Brothers who did enforce their patents ...
    (sci.military.naval)
  • Re: Odd statement from Canon
    ... Such matters are normally outside the scope of patents and fall into ... I don't know whether the US or Japan IP laws are the same, but here in the UK there is a "can fit/must fit" letout* that allows makers of add-on parts to follow the exact shape and design of an interface to which their part must fit. ... That is of course not at all the same as the independent maker being able to copy the design of the accessory part itself, they would need to avoid patent infringements and copying the actual parts themselves if protected by design right etc. ... David Littlewood ...
    (rec.photo.digital.slr-systems)
  • Re: Can Our Observations Be Trusted?
    ... > "> It was Jan who mentioned Einstein. ... he was probably not bad on the practical side of physics. ... >> patents were bought and led to a succesful series of refrigerators. ... > and Munster had invented a similar design the same year. ...
    (talk.origins)