As long as LENR can't be patented there is no way for it to be really > profitable. Three weeks after someone comes out with a working device the > e-cat will be out of the bag and you'll have dealextreme.com selling > disposable LENR devices for $10.00 inc delivery. While I'm sure a few > million could be recouped by 'first mover' advantage, it's never going to > provide the kind of killer profits that some might imagine. Great for > humanity, but bad for business. >
I must disagree on this point. Screwdrivers, guitars and cars are not patented, but money is made off of them. The profit margins are not excessive, but I would argue that the patent system is broken. If a world with less patent protection means inventors fail to disclose, that's totally fine by me; they can do whatever they want. There's always other routes to profit, including the building up of a respected brand over the long term through a focus on quality and utility. Eric
