🚀 go-pugleaf

On the subject of copying and rights and patents etc...

It seems to me that someone like DaVinci (if he were alive)
wouldn't have to worry about copies.  Why?  An original painting of
his is "priceless".  Copies are sold daily around the world.

Did Euler or Newton copyright their formulas?  Do mathematicians
copyright their equations?  It would seem rather odd to pay a royalty
for using such equations.

If you create something so unique that it cannot be duplicated, or it
becomes important whether or not it is original, there is no problem.
Furthermore, if you are first, and pioneering, you can make a name
for yourself.  Continueing to build with that same pioneering spirit
will assure you of lead over competitors.

I can't help but wonder if the companies tied up in litigation are fresh
out of original ideas.  Yes, it is harder to be creative.  Yes, it would
be easier to rest on what's been done. Although the tactic may be
successful short term, if the lead in a race attempts to rest by trying
to force others not to pass, that lead's probably going to loose the race.

I don't have an answer to the software copyright/patent problem. But
I do think companies are wasting valuable resources on litigation.  If
companies like Lotus and Apple think they can eliminate competition
through litigation, they are in trouble.  Three things could
happen (besides public opinion items):

1) A black market for illegal clones / copies could emerge.
2) Someone will figure a legal way around their expensive litigation.
3) Someone will design a completely new product that makes their
   product obsolete.

(There are probably more possibilities too.)

Let me ephasize that each of these things is *possible* and not a forecast
of any kind.  Judge for yourself how likely each is.

Dan Floyd
u-dmfloy@albion