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The same pattern has occurred since the steam engine: someone patents an invention, development is stalled while others wait for a couple of decades, and upon t
by yason 13y ago
The same pattern has occurred since the steam engine: someone patents an invention, development is stalled while others wait for a couple of decades, and upon the expiration date all progress is unleashed forward.
Who still thinks that patents foster innovation?
- Aldo_MX 13y agoPatents don't foster innovation. Anti-competitive behavior and ridiculous licensing requirements/pricing does.
- sarreph 13y agoCopyright extension is the foulest of all of such fosterers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- throwawaykf02 13y agoThe story of patents holding up steam is a myth, one that I believe was more recently spread by Boldrin & Levine's "Against Intellectual Monopoly" book. Here is a paper comprehensively busting that myth: http://terry.uga.edu/~jlturner/StrongSteamApril2009.pdf http://terry.uga.edu/~jlturner/StrongSteamApril2009.pdf. TLDR: Steam did take off after Watt's patents expired, but there is no causality because his patents claimed the condenser, which works in the exact opposite manner as the "expansive" use of high pressure steam. High-pressure steam languished initially because it was extremely risky. Ironically, Watt's patents probably encouraged work on high pressure steam because his rivals wanted to work around them. However, it is a really well-written paper that provides fascinating insight into the technological atmosphere of that era, and I highly recommend reading it. BTW, here's another paper from the same authors calling out Boldrin & Levine for further fabricating history when the above paper was bought to their attention: http://terry.uga.edu/~jlturner/WattAgainAug2009.pdf http://terry.uga.edu/~jlturner/WattAgainAug2009.pdf