3 ms·
You're both missing the very important compromise of patents. The temporary monopoly patents give were and are understood to be harmful. But, they're less harm
by quadhome 15y ago
You're both missing the very important compromise of patents.
The temporary monopoly patents give were and are understood to be harmful. But, they're less harmful than a world of trade secrets. Which is what we had, before patents. See: guilds.
So, we the public offer intellectual property. And, in return, the details of that property become public from the very beginning. And, after a few years, everyone has freedom and the instructions on how to make or do whatever.
- teyc 15y agoExactly. If the state of the world is that people can separately come up with the same "trade secrets", then there is a case against it being patentable.
- rwallace 15y agoAnd that is the fundamental fallacy. Trade secrets are far, far less harmful than patents. If you keep your work a trade secret, your customers still benefit and in the worst case you have at least done no harm. Patent trolls destroy far more value than they steal.