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which means instead of a discovery in lab A spurring a totally new way of thinking in lab B Without the patent system's protections, lab A would be unlikely to
by crusso 12y ago
which means instead of a discovery in lab A spurring a totally new way of thinking in lab B
Without the patent system's protections, lab A would be unlikely to divulge its discoveries to lab B.
- jacquesm 12y agoThat's fine, they're going to have to market their stuff some day.
- Someone 12y agoThat doesn't guarantee that the secrets come out. Counterexamples are Damascus steel and Roman concrete.
- nitrogen 12y agoThat doesn't guarantee that the secrets come out. Counterexamples are Damascus steel and Roman concrete. Both of those have been reverse engineered by now. We have the advantage of the scientific method and a robust (reverse) engineering culture that would keep secrets from remaining secrets for too long.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- staunch 12y agoThe brightest minds weren't exactly hard at work at this.
- cthalupa 12y agoDamascus steel has not been completely successfully reproduced to this day, though we're probably 95% of the way there. Though, it's not exactly a field with hordes of scientists looking to reproduce it.
- wyager 12y ago>Damascus steel has not been completely successfully reproduced to this day Because it sucks compared to modern knife steels. VG-10, S30V, or any other high-end steel beats the hell out of Damascus/wootz steel. If there were any serious benefit to Damascus steel, we would have certainly reverse-engineered it by now.
- DannyBee 12y agoSo the grants they depend on require divulgence to get the grant. It's not like they are funding themselves ...