Various levels of intellectual property: Copyright: Oiginal works of 'art'. 70 years.
Trade Mark: A 'brand' lifetime forever. Brands are better in the long run. Design Mark: Aesthetic quality of a product or logo Patent: Something capable of industrial use. One protects the *features* of the device. One cannot patent ideas. Lifetime: 20 years. Try www.patent.gov.uk Sorry if I get busy and don't contribute for weeks or months. This is not a snub. Lot going on in and out of work will tell in a few months. Viva freedom of speech! R. -----Original Message----- From: Harry Veeder [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 31 August 2006 03:35 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Vo]: you can't patent an idea (steorm) William Beaty wrote: > > The patent system is supposed to get inventors to give up their secrets. > If you come up with a new product, we can protect it in exchange for > publishing the information. > > Unfortunately this is not designed to handle new scientific discoveries. > So when a business discovers a fundamental scientific advance (x-rays, for > example,) things can get VERY screwy because the business can't patent > x-rays. They can only patent all sorts of devices based on the discovery. > > Any sensible business would want to somehow keep x-rays a secret, since > the discovery can't be protected by patents. Then they may or may not > want to get patents on all the various x-ray devices they could sell. A business should not have to keep the reality of x-rays a secret since x-rays occur naturally and therefore can't be patented by anyone. Only an invented system for generating them can be patented. Likewise, I suspect if OU is real and exists naturally then it can't be patented. Harry > > > If a scientist discovers x-rays, he just announces it to the world. Maybe > he benefits from the resulting fame, as with the discoverers of the laser. > Or maybe he takes out patents and starts a company. > > > Steorm are not behaving as scientists. > > > > (((((((((((((((((( ( ( ( ( (O) ) ) ) ) ))))))))))))))))))) > William J. Beaty SCIENCE HOBBYIST website > billb at amasci com http://amasci.com > EE/programmer/sci-exhibits amateur science, hobby projects, sci fair > Seattle, WA 425-222-5066 unusual phenomena, tesla coils, weird sci >
