4 ms·

Just make it a trade secret? A patent is basically making it public in exchange for a guaranteed, albeit short term, exclusive right. Why not just let only a f

Just make it a trade secret? A patent is basically making it public in exchange for a guaranteed, albeit short term, exclusive right. Why not just let only a few know and keep it secret from everyone else?

lumost 5y ago
People talk, if it’s not patentable it would be pretty hard to prove that one of the salaried researchers new truffle farm business is a trade secret.
- 1123581321 5y ago
  That would be an easy criminal case. Trade secrets arguably are better protected by the law than patents for certain types of knowledge.
- ksdale 5y ago
  Lots of businesses have successfully kept trade secrets for decades, many very famous and gigantic company's recipes are trade secrets. Companies know that if they patent it, it will be in the public domain eventually, whereas trade secrets can stay secret indefinitely, theoretically.
- anamax 5y ago
  GoreTex and Coke are still secrets.
  - lumost 5y ago
    The vast number of off brand cola and waterproof fabric products would seem to imply that marketing is the operative force rather than the secret recipe.
    - quickthrower2 5y ago
      Knock off Coke that tastes just as good would surely hit at it’s dominance - you’d end up with a levelled playing field more like wine is.
      - joebob42 5y ago
        Meh, I don't think I agree that they don't taste just as good (at least some of them). Really feels like it's just marketing.
      - sumedh 5y ago
        > Knock off Coke that tastes just as good would surely hit at it’s dominance Coke is all about marketing not the taste.
  - kadoban 5y ago
    Coke's secret is marketing, and to a lesser extent being able to use coca leaves due to historical reasons.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
  - hcknwscommenter 5y ago
    Goretex is absolutely not a trade secret. It's stretched PTFE (aka ePTFE).
freeopinion 5y ago
That's the current situation. When they say, "nobody knows" it means that nobody who does know is talking.
cortesoft 5y ago
Well, if it was a trade secret then we still wouldn't know... so maybe it is?
- HWR_14 5y ago
  If there was a reliable trade secret, then there would probably be farmers producing outsized yields. Hiding the total production per acre would be difficult in such a top end product where consumers frequently tour the farm.
  - dghlsakjg 5y ago
    Edible foraged mushroom markets are surprisingly opaque. The foragers are unlikely to give anything more than a vague notion of where they find their stuff in my experience. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that there are people that have figured out how to increase yields in the wild or simulate correct growing conditions

lumost 5y ago

People talk, if it’s not patentable it would be pretty hard to prove that one of the salaried researchers new truffle farm business is a trade secret.

1123581321 5y ago
That would be an easy criminal case. Trade secrets arguably are better protected by the law than patents for certain types of knowledge.
ksdale 5y ago
Lots of businesses have successfully kept trade secrets for decades, many very famous and gigantic company's recipes are trade secrets. Companies know that if they patent it, it will be in the public domain eventually, whereas trade secrets can stay secret indefinitely, theoretically.
anamax 5y ago
GoreTex and Coke are still secrets.
- lumost 5y ago
  The vast number of off brand cola and waterproof fabric products would seem to imply that marketing is the operative force rather than the secret recipe.
  - quickthrower2 5y ago
    Knock off Coke that tastes just as good would surely hit at it’s dominance - you’d end up with a levelled playing field more like wine is.
    - joebob42 5y ago
      Meh, I don't think I agree that they don't taste just as good (at least some of them). Really feels like it's just marketing.
    - sumedh 5y ago
      > Knock off Coke that tastes just as good would surely hit at it’s dominance Coke is all about marketing not the taste.
- kadoban 5y ago
  Coke's secret is marketing, and to a lesser extent being able to use coca leaves due to historical reasons.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- hcknwscommenter 5y ago
  Goretex is absolutely not a trade secret. It's stretched PTFE (aka ePTFE).

freeopinion 5y ago

That's the current situation. When they say, "nobody knows" it means that nobody who does know is talking.

cortesoft 5y ago

Well, if it was a trade secret then we still wouldn't know... so maybe it is?

HWR_14 5y ago
If there was a reliable trade secret, then there would probably be farmers producing outsized yields. Hiding the total production per acre would be difficult in such a top end product where consumers frequently tour the farm.
- dghlsakjg 5y ago
  Edible foraged mushroom markets are surprisingly opaque. The foragers are unlikely to give anything more than a vague notion of where they find their stuff in my experience. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that there are people that have figured out how to increase yields in the wild or simulate correct growing conditions