Rob Dingemans <[email protected]> wrote:
> What I mean, is that no-one can claim whatever ownership and therefore > obtain money for the knowledge disclosed in the patent, as this knowledge > is way to important for humanity to be prevented from to be applied in > general use. > I do not see how ownership would prevent the thing being applied in general use. Every important invention in our society is owned by someone, at least initially until the patent runs out. Airplanes, semiconductors, Windows, Intel processors . . . You name it, someone owns it. This has never prevented that technology from coming into widespread use. I believe that if you patent an important technology and you do not make it widely available, the patent office and the government may interfere with your decision and overrule you. Mike Melich told me that. This is especially true when discoveries have an impact on national security. If the Navy decides they need your technology they will use it and pay you a royalty whether you want them to or not. The government will never expropriate intellectual property. But it will make use of it, and force you to accept a licensing agreement and royalty. I'm sure the Navy and the DoD would decide that anything related cold fusion is important and they must have it. They do not actually manufacture machines themselves, so when I say "the Navy will use your technology" I mean they will have corporations manufacture equipment using your technology, so the knowledge of how to use it will spread rapidly. - Jed
