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They learned from the best https://www.history.com/news/industrial-revolution-spies-europe https://www.history.com/news/industrial-revolution-spies-eur... Ger

by croes 2y ago

They learned from the best https://www.history.com/news/industrial-revolution-spies-europe https://www.history.com/news/industrial-revolution-spies-eur... Germany did the same with book rights which helped them to become an industrial and scientific powerhouse.

bboygravity 2y ago
The Netherlands was the last country in Europe to introduce patent law AFTER Philips stole bulb manufacturing technology from Edison (Philips is now a huge patent holder and actively steals ideas from startups to turn them into patents).
- Cumpiler69 2y ago
  If you can't innovate, steal.
  - arcticbull 2y ago
    History shows us you copy first to build a foundation, refine and then innovate. This was Japan's recent-ish narrative arc too, after all.
  - idunnoman1222 2y ago
    This is the proverbial standing on the shoulders of Giants, which we all do every day
  - thayne 2y ago
    If you can't innovate, buy (or steal) someone else's invention, and use a government granted monopoly (i.e. patent) to prevent anyone else from innovating further and making a better version. Maybe patents provide an incentive to be innovative, but they also create a barrier to innovating on top of technology that is protected by patents.
IncreasePosts 2y ago
Some people remembering things and going elsewhere and using what they remember seems a little different from copying of millions of documents and schematics and plans.
- vaidhy 2y ago
  You do not like efficiency??
  - IncreasePosts 2y ago
    Yes, I guess it is very efficient to not need to spend any money on R&D, and just steal from those who do spend the money. Will anyone spend money on R&D in this efficient world when the result is you just go out of business because you can't compete against anyone who does?
- j_maffe 2y ago
  what's the difference? that they didn't use paper for schematics? it's the same process, isn't it?
  - IncreasePosts 2y ago
    I'd say it is the same difference between a police officer remembering a license plate for the getaway car of a bank robbery, and having pervasive automatic surveillance tracking everywhere everyone goes.

by croes 2y ago

bboygravity 2y ago

The Netherlands was the last country in Europe to introduce patent law AFTER Philips stole bulb manufacturing technology from Edison (Philips is now a huge patent holder and actively steals ideas from startups to turn them into patents).

Cumpiler69 2y ago
If you can't innovate, steal.
- arcticbull 2y ago
  History shows us you copy first to build a foundation, refine and then innovate. This was Japan's recent-ish narrative arc too, after all.
- idunnoman1222 2y ago
  This is the proverbial standing on the shoulders of Giants, which we all do every day
- thayne 2y ago
  If you can't innovate, buy (or steal) someone else's invention, and use a government granted monopoly (i.e. patent) to prevent anyone else from innovating further and making a better version. Maybe patents provide an incentive to be innovative, but they also create a barrier to innovating on top of technology that is protected by patents.

IncreasePosts 2y ago

Some people remembering things and going elsewhere and using what they remember seems a little different from copying of millions of documents and schematics and plans.

vaidhy 2y ago
You do not like efficiency??
- IncreasePosts 2y ago
  Yes, I guess it is very efficient to not need to spend any money on R&D, and just steal from those who do spend the money. Will anyone spend money on R&D in this efficient world when the result is you just go out of business because you can't compete against anyone who does?
j_maffe 2y ago
what's the difference? that they didn't use paper for schematics? it's the same process, isn't it?
- IncreasePosts 2y ago
  I'd say it is the same difference between a police officer remembering a license plate for the getaway car of a bank robbery, and having pervasive automatic surveillance tracking everywhere everyone goes.