Johannes replied to me: > > So it would be clear that prospector X visisted an asteroid, then a > > year later prospector Y, then after a decade mining ship Z. Does Z > > owe anything to X? I guess that Y's claims would be dismissed out > > of hand ... > > If prospectors simply sell data, there is nothing that keeps competing > prospectors to collect the same data later. So it might be that X get's > nothing because Z bought from Y.
But it would still be clear that X made the survey before Y. The fact that there was a survey may count as staking a claim, and Y's survey could be considered claim jumping. Z can't buy stolen goods from Y. > Or Z stole the data from somewhere. They can't admit that, of course. > Or Z > had decided to risk mining without data, because they figured the data was > too expensive. One whistleblower, and Z is history. > Is there still some authority where you can file a claim for mining rights > on some astereoid for some cost? Maybe. If the legal system assumes that a survey means a claim exists, then it won't be necessary to 'file' anything -- who surveyed what would have been watched by countless amateur astronomers tracking drive flames, and debated at length on the web. > Then prospectors in the employ of a > mining company might only send a take it, or ignore it at first to get the > paperwork started. If not, it can still be neccessary to keep data secret > for a long time, meaning mining companies might try to control where > prospectors go, after they leave their employ. NDAs or more direct measures? > If there is something roughly analogous to a patent office, that gives > the first prospectors rights on the astereoid, then there will need to be > rules, how detailed a survey has to be to count, and if an incomplete > survey gives at least some rights or not. Think of the smartphone patent wars. The lawyers might be more important (and better paid) than the prospectors. Regards, Onno _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
