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Innovation happens because people are curious and want to make their (or other's) lives easier, this has nothing to do with patents, or if it's private or gover
by mvanvoorden 11y ago
Innovation happens because people are curious and want to make their (or other's) lives easier, this has nothing to do with patents, or if it's private or government run.
Want to see real innovation? See for example the home made radio receivers people made in WWII, that fit in a small tin can, or visit an Amish settlement (http://kk.org/thetechnium/amish-hackers-a/ http://kk.org/thetechnium/amish-hackers-a/). Not to mention hacker/maker spaces and fablabs, which all work on open source principles and sustain themselves through donations or member fees.
- Kalium 11y agoYes and no. Many kinds of innovation happen because people are curious... provided they can afford to indulge their curiosity. Of course, I don't know many people who can personally afford to do the kind of research they are employed to do, so there are important limits at work. Funding plays a major role in enabling curiosity. That said, there's also application. Curiosity may lead to someone discovering a particular complex chemical, but curiosity won't turn it into a cheaply produced pill available at your corner pharmacy.
- mason240 11y agoAnecdotes aside, they still require massive amounts of capital in order to create useful applications. Hobbyists tinkering in a hanger did not create modern airlines - giant corporations like Boeing managed the capital required to make it happen. Hobbyists tinkering in a garage are not going to be able to carry out years of dedicated research followed by years of study followed by years of clinical trials.