Eric Hines wrote:
I'd agree about copyrights, but not patents. I think that getting a
monopoly on an IDEA is ridiculous.
Patent monopoly rights are very similar to copyright monopoly
rights
No, they are *very* different. Copyright covers works, patents cover
ideas. The things you listed (lifetime, licensing) are quite superficial
next to the difference of what they cover. The concept that you have
ownership over your own work is acceptable. The concept that you have
ownership over an *idea* is not. Ideas are not built up, they are not
constructed. Ideas are merely discovered, and your discovering one does
not inhibit me from discovering it too. And there is no fundamental
reason why your discovering an idea first you prevent me from
discovering it too.
It is one thing for you to write a book about a young wizard learning
magic and choose to keep your work private. It is quite another for you
to prevent other people from writing their own book about a young wizard
learning magic.
Cheers,
Daniel.
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