This is an age old gripe of mine but here it is anyway. Patents, in theory, were set up so that the correct person would get the credit (and royalties) for an idea. In practice, however, it becomes a race to see who can patent an idea first and (very much like our voting system) first past the post wins. This means, once an idea is registered, the 'owner' has the right to do whatever they like with it.
This system stifles creativity and ideas, inventions or even products that could help advance research or even make our lives easier just can't be done because they rely on something that's patented that the owner wont relinquish or want too much money (this situation is much, much worse in the pharmaceutical industry). The though that keeps circling my mind is why, when someone has a good idea, can they not just put it in the public domain? This way, if someone needs it, they can use it and acknowledge the owner.
I'll admit this is a little bit idealistic as, potentially, the original person who thought up the idea gets no money for it, but if it really is a good idea then surly this person would need to be involved with the development and would naturally be paid for his time. I would think this is a small price to pay for advancement and a true open market (you'll never be able to over charge for a product as this will now be a product anyone can legally research and make), imagine no more monopolies!
I ordered a popular carbonated drink which was served with ice (and a slice) and with a straw. The problem is the straw keeps floating up and over the glass. The idea I had was to put a one-way valve at the bottom (this valve can be integrated into the molding process of the straw, will be part of the straw and doesn't need to be overly water tight) thus keeping the liquid in the straw and stopping it from floating away.
So, this cheap solution to the problem (come on, I'm sure you've all been annoyed by this in the past) can not now be patented by anyone (you saw it here first) and if anyone wanted to make it, they could just go ahead and do so, making life that much nicer for bar goers everywhere!
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6 comments:
is there no end to this man's talents?
and, it turns out, you have anti-capitalist, humanist, egalitarian tendencies too...
hurrah for you josh!
the straw idea sounds good and thanks for throwing it out there (seeing as it threw itself out of your drink anyway), but are there not t'internet sites for this kind of thing -- i've got an idea, but don't have the pathologically dubious need to do it all myself... -- where you could post this too and maybe then someone there would see it and develop it?
i know it seems hard to believe that the likes of Ms S, hh, DP and myself may not have the wherewithal or the vision to see a project like this thru' (altho', remember, that Ms S did take a punt at becoming the next hallmark, and has plenty of leftover cardboard and such which could perhaps be fashioned into rather natty drinking devices, complete with unpatented valve and a snappy greeting to boot...), but someone, somewhere who just can't keep a good straw down may have been waiting all his or her life to have someone like you come up with a solution for something that simply won't stay down...
I have neither the time nor the patents to do a straw poll, but I think your idea probably would make the world a much better place. You can certainly, as ER suggests, have some of my cardboard anytime.
ER, just as I was about to run out and patent your idea of a website for half baker ideas I find this.
Ariane, thanks for the offer of the cards but do you have anything more plastic like?
'Nice swing, no follow-through.'
peerless...
and the story of my life...
Do I have anything more plastic-like? You don't want me to answer that!
ER, dare I say ditto?
Ariane, quite right! So as not to harm my delicate sensibilities, it's probably best I don't hear an answer to that question. If I ever half bake an idea requiring a few thousand greetings cards, rest assured, you will be the first person I call.
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