Wouter van Ooijen escreveu: >> Inspired by the thread above started by Gus, I'd like to seek opinions = >> and visions for better systems than patents. >> >> e.g. What could be fairer, smarter, better for business, promote open = >> development, bring people together etc? (Well, that's just how my brain = >> works.) >> = > > IMHO there is nothing wrong with patents as a basic idea, but everything = > is wrong with the current implementation. > > The two basic ideas are > > - giving a limited-time monopoly encourages investment in new = > discoveries that otherwise would not be discovered > > - the mandatory publication spreads ideas that would otherwise remain sec= ret > > IMHO patents should only be granted for discoveries that would otherwise = > not be made. This puts requirements on the fields and/or the invention = > level. Especially the required invention level is nowadays far far too lo= w. > > Also the current practice is that getting a patent is relatively cheap, = > and defending or busting it is expensive. That should be reversed (which = > will only be possible with a higher invention level and hence a much = > lower quantity of patent applications). > = If it becomes hard to obtain, patents would be inaccessible to small companies and individuals, helping big corporations for whom money is not an issue. And being easy to defeat would diminish the research efforts. Regards, Isaac __________________________________________________ Fa=E7a liga=E7=F5es para outros computadores com o novo Yahoo! Messenger = http://br.beta.messenger.yahoo.com/ = -- = http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist