6 ms·

This is a great idea, but is there an analogy in meatspace?

• organsnyder 10y ago
  Companies do this with trade secrets and patents all the time. Rather than obtaining a patent, they guard the information closely, so that the implementation details aren't disseminated to the public. Otherwise, the information would be fair game after the patent expired.
  • Angostura 10y ago
    I'm not sure that would work with a Hollywood blockbuster.
    • mikepurvis 10y ago
      The "trade secret" analogy would be only showing the film in a room where you surrender recording devices upon entry. What would be the point in copyrighting what the viewer sees, if there's no way for them to leave with it?
  • mpweiher 10y ago
    And vice versa, a lot of companies had (not sure they still do) "disclosure journals" that would publish results that they couldn't or wouldn't patent, so that nobody else could patent them later (which is otherwise perfectly possible).
    • tdaltonc 10y ago
      Wouldn't posting to a google indexed blog legally amount to the same thing?
      • nitrogen 10y ago
        AIUI the patent office has a list of resources they search for prior art, and Google may not be on the list.