We are really off subject on all this argument against intellectual
property rights. If the government really had a department of
"Conservation" would we be allowed to have and enjoy "recreational" vehicles
like travel trailers? Pulled by vehicles with big V8? Would anyone invent
anything if they had no or little further right in their invention? The
government would decide what was meritorious to promote? Wow, I'd sure
trust that.
Just buy your stuff from those countries that bootleg and pirate the ideas
developed by others. No real patent protection there.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Kiger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2001 11:22 AM
To: Multiple recipients of VACList
Subject: [VAC] Re: LED lighting. patents.
>At 09:28 AM 4/18/01 -0700, you wrote:
>I just slapped my own wrist for going off topic, but
>oftentimes the reason why things are so expensive
>(i.e. LED's or pharmaceuticals) is that the company
>that developed the technology has to recoup the US
>patent fees, and the Research and Development costs.
Sometimes, when the public interest is vital, the government uses it's
powers to promulgate new technologies. The Genome Project is one such
example. In that case the government literally went into competition with
private industry to avoid scurilous patents. For example (in the 20's &
30's) RCA filed and lost 165 patent interference cases against the true
inventor of TV. This set back the launch of television at least a decade.
Many promising technologies die on the vine because the government does not
use it's substantial powers to encourage widespread awareness of the
benefits and distribution of these products. These days Conservation is
imperative. There ought to be a US Department of Conservation.
Why should low wattage light bulbs cost more than high wattage bulbs?
How come so many Americans go to Canada or Mexico to buy their
prescriptions?
Why are hardly any bicycles produced in America? (most from Taiwan)?
Why is a mature technology like "solar" still so costly that it's a small
market.
It would take only a moderate reduction in demand to counter our energy
shortage. I'm sure glad no one company has a patent on gas :)
Every Airstream owner should be proud that they are doing their part,
because of the basic elegance of our (full or part time) habitats. But I,
for one, am tired of having to pay a premium just because I want to
conserve. US Social Engineering needs improvement.
Bob
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