3 ms·

How about you lose, you pay? The "small pennyless inventor" is a romantic fantasy.

• logicallee 13y ago
  Everyone is penniless compared to the size of the market where every participant can instantly copy just the components. For existing tech, there's nothing special about this - of course you can assemble a bicycle the same way every other bike is assembled. But for new tech this is a killer difference: with the protections, "penniless" inventors (everyone) has a chance to make a fundamental investment of time and resources. Without the invention you can just do unpaid R&D for the existing players. If they can also sue you in case they outlaw you, then even the possibility of licensing to them disappears.
  • logicallee 13y ago
    "outlaw" should read "out-lawyer", "without the invention" should be "without the protection". Sorry about the haste.