5 ms·

Many people would say it's ethically wrong to copy an idea. In fact, it is common to see people up in arms on HN about it, when the power dynamic is reversed.

pm90 5y ago
> when the power dynamic is reversed. I mean, yes, that's definitely the case, isn't it? Punching below your weight is seen as unethical, right? The power dynamic is an important aspect of deciding the ethics of actions.
atoav 5y ago
Is Google copying your idea ethically really the same as you copying Googles idea? If they copy your idea they can literally destroy your existence given their resources, size, visibility, infrastructure, etc. If you copy their idea you first have to make many things better than them before even scratching on their turf. And before anyone says power dynamics are not relevant in ethics: In my philosophy studies I also studied ethics and yes — power dynamics are very relevant for ethics.
hawthornio 5y ago
> it's ethically wrong to copy an idea Who says this? Certainly we have intellectual property laws to protect novel, recent, and specific ideas. However, “Running code on another machine” doesn’t seem to meet any of those criteria.
- Dah00n 5y ago
  You are blurring the lines now though so we end up with a discussion of where the red line is at. Intellectual property laws are national,so if a South Korean company copy the design of the iPhone they aren't breaking any US IP law (as of course you cannot break a US law outside the US as a non-US citizen). So novel, recent, and specific doesn't really matter unless we are lawyers. But it still gets HN'ers up in arms.
  - curtainsforus 5y ago
    Would very many HN'ers get up in arms about someone copying an iphone? It's not like apple needs more profit.
    - Dah00n 5y ago
      I guess the only reply I can really give you would be my opinion. So here it is: In my opinion most HN'ers would be up in arms if it were, say, a Chinese company doing something that might possibly maybe be kinda a copy of a design. Though I doubt we would see any arms if it were one of the hundreds of situation where Apple have copied features or design elements. So in short: If a big US company does it it's mostly okay on HN but if a Chinese (or Russian) company does the same it is a bad bad no no. In my opinion. Not a popular opinion on a mostly US site, I know, but as you can likely guess I'm not American (or Chinese or Russian for that matter).
gilrain 5y ago
"These hypocrites will have a different response when the situation is different, just watch."
marcinzm 5y ago
Most people find it ethically wrong to abuse power and a giant company copying an idea is seen as that. So is threatening a kid because you got $20 million in the bank. Ideas are copied all the time and especially by startups.
dkersten 5y ago
Almost all ideas are copied in some way. Even if an idea is original, not all of it is. Most successful companies aren’t the first one to offer whatever product they’re offering. Everyone is working with what came before them and building on it. Very few things are wholly unique. There is nothing unethical about it in itself. The problem is when a large company muscles small ones out unfairly (using their clout, money or lawyers to push competition out).

pm90 5y ago

> when the power dynamic is reversed. I mean, yes, that's definitely the case, isn't it? Punching below your weight is seen as unethical, right? The power dynamic is an important aspect of deciding the ethics of actions.

atoav 5y ago

Is Google copying your idea ethically really the same as you copying Googles idea? If they copy your idea they can literally destroy your existence given their resources, size, visibility, infrastructure, etc. If you copy their idea you first have to make many things better than them before even scratching on their turf. And before anyone says power dynamics are not relevant in ethics: In my philosophy studies I also studied ethics and yes — power dynamics are very relevant for ethics.

hawthornio 5y ago

> it's ethically wrong to copy an idea Who says this? Certainly we have intellectual property laws to protect novel, recent, and specific ideas. However, “Running code on another machine” doesn’t seem to meet any of those criteria.

Dah00n 5y ago
You are blurring the lines now though so we end up with a discussion of where the red line is at. Intellectual property laws are national,so if a South Korean company copy the design of the iPhone they aren't breaking any US IP law (as of course you cannot break a US law outside the US as a non-US citizen). So novel, recent, and specific doesn't really matter unless we are lawyers. But it still gets HN'ers up in arms.
- curtainsforus 5y ago
  Would very many HN'ers get up in arms about someone copying an iphone? It's not like apple needs more profit.
  - Dah00n 5y ago
    I guess the only reply I can really give you would be my opinion. So here it is: In my opinion most HN'ers would be up in arms if it were, say, a Chinese company doing something that might possibly maybe be kinda a copy of a design. Though I doubt we would see any arms if it were one of the hundreds of situation where Apple have copied features or design elements. So in short: If a big US company does it it's mostly okay on HN but if a Chinese (or Russian) company does the same it is a bad bad no no. In my opinion. Not a popular opinion on a mostly US site, I know, but as you can likely guess I'm not American (or Chinese or Russian for that matter).

gilrain 5y ago

"These hypocrites will have a different response when the situation is different, just watch."

marcinzm 5y ago

Most people find it ethically wrong to abuse power and a giant company copying an idea is seen as that. So is threatening a kid because you got $20 million in the bank. Ideas are copied all the time and especially by startups.

dkersten 5y ago

Almost all ideas are copied in some way. Even if an idea is original, not all of it is. Most successful companies aren’t the first one to offer whatever product they’re offering. Everyone is working with what came before them and building on it. Very few things are wholly unique. There is nothing unethical about it in itself. The problem is when a large company muscles small ones out unfairly (using their clout, money or lawyers to push competition out).