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The patent system has been causing this problem for many years. The Wright brothers asserted that their patent covered lateral control of an aircraft, no matte

by gvb 15y ago

The patent system has been causing this problem for many years. The Wright brothers asserted that their patent covered lateral control of an aircraft, no matter how that control was implemented, and prevailed in court. Obviously, lateral control is a "blocking patent" - there is no way to work around it (and live). The resulting litigation and threats of litigation disrupted and damaged the advancement of flying technology in the US, causing the US to lose its early lead. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wright_brothers_patent_war http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wright_brothers_patent_war http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright_Company

Joakal 15y ago
Damn, the Wright brothers used to be one of my heroes. This draws parallels with the protectionist law stifling space: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/ITAR https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/ITAR The resulting litigation and threats of litigation disrupted and damaged the advancement of flying technology in the US, causing the US to lose its lead indeed.
- macrael 15y ago
  You learn one thing about someone and they lose hero status? Neil deGrasse Tyson (one of my heroes) one said that you need to assemble your heroes out of the parts of many. No one is perfect. You can still admire the admirable things about the Wright brothers while disagreeing with their use of patents.
  - chopsueyar 15y ago
    For example, I enjoy Mel Gibson movies, but would not invite him to my son's bris.
  - Joakal 15y ago
    I disagree. Hero in my book is doing eternal good in advancing technology. So, I like to believe in as few heroes as possible as something to strive for. However, what they did was effectively create something and then sit on it. "The Wrights' preoccupation with the legal issue hindered their development of new aircraft designs, and by 1911 Wright aircraft were inferior to those made by other firms in Europe.[9] Indeed, aviation development in the US was suppressed to such an extent that when the U.S. entered World War I no acceptable American-designed aircraft were available, and the U.S. forces were compelled to use French machines." They are still notable in my book for being the first aviation flight being achieved just as USA was notable in my book for being the first to land on the moon. Guess who's harbouring the space technology these days?
    - kaffiene 15y ago
      ....which would be cool and all, but Richard Pearse flew before the Wright Brothers.

by gvb 15y ago

Joakal 15y ago

Damn, the Wright brothers used to be one of my heroes. This draws parallels with the protectionist law stifling space: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/ITAR https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/ITAR The resulting litigation and threats of litigation disrupted and damaged the advancement of flying technology in the US, causing the US to lose its lead indeed.

macrael 15y ago
You learn one thing about someone and they lose hero status? Neil deGrasse Tyson (one of my heroes) one said that you need to assemble your heroes out of the parts of many. No one is perfect. You can still admire the admirable things about the Wright brothers while disagreeing with their use of patents.
- chopsueyar 15y ago
  For example, I enjoy Mel Gibson movies, but would not invite him to my son's bris.
- Joakal 15y ago
  I disagree. Hero in my book is doing eternal good in advancing technology. So, I like to believe in as few heroes as possible as something to strive for. However, what they did was effectively create something and then sit on it. "The Wrights' preoccupation with the legal issue hindered their development of new aircraft designs, and by 1911 Wright aircraft were inferior to those made by other firms in Europe.[9] Indeed, aviation development in the US was suppressed to such an extent that when the U.S. entered World War I no acceptable American-designed aircraft were available, and the U.S. forces were compelled to use French machines." They are still notable in my book for being the first aviation flight being achieved just as USA was notable in my book for being the first to land on the moon. Guess who's harbouring the space technology these days?
  - kaffiene 15y ago
    ....which would be cool and all, but Richard Pearse flew before the Wright Brothers.