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"As schools become more global in their locations ... their culture of openness and international collaboration makes them increasingly vulnerable to theft of r

"As schools become more global in their locations ... their culture of openness and international collaboration makes them increasingly vulnerable to theft of research conducted for the government and industry." Excuse me, but isn't this obvious? "Foreign countries “can never become competitive by stealing,” [University of Maryland President Wallace Loh] said. ..." Maybe I'm too naive, but I would think virtually any foreign company can become very competitive by stealing. "... In another, an Asian graduate student arranged for researchers back home to visit an American university lab and take unauthorized photos of equipment so they could reconstruct it, the report said." ...which lead to Kim Jong Un and Dennis Rodman making very delicious mini-cupcakes from their recontructed Easy-Bake Oven (TM). Seriously? Where is Bruce Schneier to talk about "Security Theater"? "A foreign scientist’s military background or purpose isn’t always apparent. ..." I had to stop reading the article at this point...

rayiner 14y ago
> Maybe I'm too naive, but I would think virtually any foreign company can become very competitive by stealing. It worked for China, India, and Korea.
- Niten 14y ago
  And the United States. EDIT: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-01/piracy-and-fraud-propelled-the-u-s-industrial-revolution.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-01/piracy-and-fraud-pr...
  - rayiner 14y ago
    What're you referring to? The US is the most technologically productive country in the history of the world. Your article overstates the case: even early on the US innovated in many areas (though textiles was not one of those areas): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_history_of_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_hi...
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
    - Niten 14y ago
      Err... innovations in Bieber face swaps? Sorry, you lost me EDIT: OK different link now... sure there is a Wikipedia article titled "Technological and industrial history of the United States". But that doesn't change the fact that, yes, the country's early technological growth was based heavily on the same sort of "piracy" that people love to hate modern Asia for. Obviously a ton of great stuff has been created in the U.S. since then. All I'm saying is that if we're going to list countries for whom intellectual property theft has proven profitable, the U.S. belongs on that list just as sure as anyone else.
      - rayiner 14y ago
        My objection is to the use of the word "heavily." Your article uses the example of stealing mill technology. The Wikipedia article gives an accounting of other areas of technology that were home built, even in the early days of the republic. The US was technologically self-sufficient along many dimensions, from agriculture to transportation. It had certain gaps in manufacturing technology because of the nature of British mercantilism (raw materials were exported to Britain and reimported as finished goods into America, which suppressed the development of native manufacturing). In any case, stealing technology has been a much more fundamental part of the recent prosperity of China and India. Their societies are almost wholly dependent on Western technology. In comparison, the U.S. was always a prosperous country, even during colonial times.
        btilly 14y ago
        The USA was prosperous during colonial times because it imported talent directly from England. Yes, the USA has a long history of innovation (for instance Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod, and the Franklin Stove. But if you read up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution you'll find that major technological progress began in England, and the USA was mostly an innovative footnote until surprisingly late. The USA did much more important than exporting of major technology for decades.
dullcrisp 14y ago
Could you please rephrase your point using less sarcasm? I don't really understand what this comment is saying. I don't know how to make this request without sounding sarcastic myself, but I'm being sincere.

rayiner 14y ago

> Maybe I'm too naive, but I would think virtually any foreign company can become very competitive by stealing. It worked for China, India, and Korea.

Niten 14y ago
And the United States. EDIT: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-01/piracy-and-fraud-propelled-the-u-s-industrial-revolution.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-01/piracy-and-fraud-pr...
- rayiner 14y ago
  What're you referring to? The US is the most technologically productive country in the history of the world. Your article overstates the case: even early on the US innovated in many areas (though textiles was not one of those areas): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_history_of_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_and_industrial_hi...
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
  - Niten 14y ago
    Err... innovations in Bieber face swaps? Sorry, you lost me EDIT: OK different link now... sure there is a Wikipedia article titled "Technological and industrial history of the United States". But that doesn't change the fact that, yes, the country's early technological growth was based heavily on the same sort of "piracy" that people love to hate modern Asia for. Obviously a ton of great stuff has been created in the U.S. since then. All I'm saying is that if we're going to list countries for whom intellectual property theft has proven profitable, the U.S. belongs on that list just as sure as anyone else.
    - rayiner 14y ago
      My objection is to the use of the word "heavily." Your article uses the example of stealing mill technology. The Wikipedia article gives an accounting of other areas of technology that were home built, even in the early days of the republic. The US was technologically self-sufficient along many dimensions, from agriculture to transportation. It had certain gaps in manufacturing technology because of the nature of British mercantilism (raw materials were exported to Britain and reimported as finished goods into America, which suppressed the development of native manufacturing). In any case, stealing technology has been a much more fundamental part of the recent prosperity of China and India. Their societies are almost wholly dependent on Western technology. In comparison, the U.S. was always a prosperous country, even during colonial times.
      - btilly 14y ago
        The USA was prosperous during colonial times because it imported talent directly from England. Yes, the USA has a long history of innovation (for instance Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod, and the Franklin Stove. But if you read up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution you'll find that major technological progress began in England, and the USA was mostly an innovative footnote until surprisingly late. The USA did much more important than exporting of major technology for decades.

dullcrisp 14y ago

Could you please rephrase your point using less sarcasm? I don't really understand what this comment is saying. I don't know how to make this request without sounding sarcastic myself, but I'm being sincere.