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How does competition work with regard to trade secrets like chip design etc? If I hire the top dogs at a chip maker and they design a similar chip for my compan
by fareesh 8y ago
How does competition work with regard to trade secrets like chip design etc? If I hire the top dogs at a chip maker and they design a similar chip for my company from memory, how is this prevented from happening?
- wmf 8y agoThere are patents and non-competes in some states but basically nothing prevents it. Silicon Valley exists because of the cycle of engineers leaving established companies to start startups (or now, leaving established companies to go to companies that are branching out into every area possible).
- fareesh 8y agoWould patenting the chip design also expose the very secret that is being guarded? So someone in China could just read the patent and make the same thing, is that right?
- wmf 8y agoSome companies patent all their ideas, including the ones they don't use. This creates a chaff effect where you can't be sure which ideas you should copy. There are certainly trade secrets that aren't patented but the whole point is that they aren't protected as much.