How screwed up is our patent office that they actually allow some of this shit to get approved? One guy tried to patent the stick.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Well, I don't know about the stick, or the swinging technique, or the cat playing, but most of that stuff is just dumb, not unpatentable. I mean, you can come up with any dumb idea, and, if you're the first one to patent it, why shouldn't they approve it? It's not the patent office's job to decide what's stupid.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
It should be lol.
I also don't think processes or concepts or techniques should be patentable. I mean, patent a new toilet design, OK, but the idea of something people shit in? That'd be stupid, right? But it's what some patents amount to, especially in the area of 'intellectual property.'
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Processes and techniques most definitely *should* be (and are) patentable. Just an example from my work - just about everyone knows what carbon composites are, but not everyone knows the best way of curing them. In fact, stuff like that is some of the biggest targets for industrial espionage.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
quote:Originally posted by B.J.: Processes and techniques most definitely *should* be (and are) patentable. Just an example from my work - just about everyone knows what carbon composites are, but not everyone knows the best way of curing them. In fact, stuff like that is some of the biggest targets for industrial espionage.
Hmm, I just bought a violin bow made of carbon composites. You wouldn't have anything to do with it, would you? Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Unless it's part of an aircraft, then no.
Posted by Mars Needs Women (Member # 1505) on :
I recall someone patented the comb-over.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Donald Trump?
Posted by Mars Needs Women (Member # 1505) on :
Possibly.
Posted by Pensive's Wetness (Member # 1203) on :
#7... Jet powered surfboard...
what happens when the the engine gets FOD'ed?
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Then it becomes a normal surfboard.
The device that tells you whether you hit a person or not is interesting. It would be more effective to create something that prevents you from hitting a person, like eyes, and an attention span longer than 2 seconds, rather than just keeping score...
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
quote:Originally posted by B.J.: Processes and techniques most definitely *should* be (and are) patentable. Just an example from my work - just about everyone knows what carbon composites are, but not everyone knows the best way of curing them. In fact, stuff like that is some of the biggest targets for industrial espionage.
And what if I tell you that I have a moral problem with corporations being able to make money based on trade secrets? Information should be free man.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Well, it wouldn't be the Colonel's secret blend of herbs and spices if everyone knew about it, would it now?
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
No. No it wouldn't. And then anybody can cook it if they want to instead of having to pay a particular establishment for it.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"I recall someone patented the comb-over."
Seriously, have these people never heard the term "prior art"?
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
quote:Originally posted by Daniel Butler: No. No it wouldn't. And then anybody can cook it if they want to instead of having to pay a particular establishment for it.
But then no one would own anything. There would be no secrets. I can understand that patenting the an idea is stupid, but saying that all ideas have to be available to everyone is kind of stupid. No one would want to invent anything anymore. A lot of people invent things that in reality no one needs ( like a lot of Ron Popeil's items), but that people find handy, in order to make money and to gain fame. If all new inventions, or methods of doing things were made public domain, no one would be motivated to create/discover/improve upon them, other than people who just want to help society, and there are way to few of those.
I apologize if I am misunderstanding your point of view Dan.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I patented Jive as a language.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
No, I think you understand it pretty well. I know it's an unpopular viewpoint but I think that everyone should share everything equally and lift each other up instead of gaining personal wealth.
Of course, I don't operate according to that ideal because I'd end up taken advantage of at every turn. It's the way I wish the world was, but I recognize it's not the way the world will ever be.
Posted by shikaru808 (Member # 2080) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: I patented Jive as a language.
JIVE TURKEY!
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
quote:Originally posted by Daniel Butler: No, I think you understand it pretty well. I know it's an unpopular viewpoint but I think that everyone should share everything equally and lift each other up instead of gaining personal wealth.
Of course, I don't operate according to that ideal because I'd end up taken advantage of at every turn. It's the way I wish the world was, but I recognize it's not the way the world will ever be.
That's pretty much communism,Dan. And, it is a good idea, the only problem is that some schmuck always gets greedy and takes advantage of any power he is given, people like Stalin. Of course, Stalin was a crazy paranoid bastard to begin with...either way though, the nature of the human race prevents a control economy from actually working properly.
Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
quote:Originally posted by Sean: Well, it wouldn't be the Colonel's secret blend of herbs and spices if everyone knew about it, would it now?
Omni magazine had the stuff analized. The secret herbs and spices turned out to be Salt, Pepper Flour and MSG.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
I wouldn't really know, as I have never eaten KFC. I would like to, but the nearest outlet is 20 miles away...
Posted by HopefulNebula (Member # 1933) on :
You're not missing out.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
I know it's communism; I've been around the block a few times And you're right about everything you said, hence why I realize it won't ever be possible yet wish it could be.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Sorry, it's in my system. I had to write an essay on the workings of communism for my global studies final...
If communism could be executed properly,even though that will never happen, I probably would support it, given the absolute mess of a government that runs this country. Who knows, maybe things will clear up when we get a president who speaks english.
Posted by shikaru808 (Member # 2080) on :
My thoughts exactly. Communism in its purest form is actually a decent form of government when you look at it. With the exception in that its terribly easy to have a dictator or other take power over the others.
Doesn't help that when I say that, people look at me like I'm a terrorist (more than usual). Most of the Americans I know and live with are too ignorant to even know what Communism is. We're just trained to hate it. Then again, most people I know don't even know all the planets, let alone in order...
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Could be worse. Most of my family are homophobic racists, who think that the Irish, Blacks, Mexicans, gays, pre-marital sex, and atheism are to blame for how screwed up our country is. But, of course, according to them, we are still the best country, as if it were some sort of pissing match. I'd rather be a Canadian citizen right now. At least my french skills would be of use up there.
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
Without anything driving it though, communism at best leads to an unchanging status quo as there is no real incentive for improvement and eventually that will lead to entropy.
Posted by Mars Needs Women (Member # 1505) on :
Anarchy FTW.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Most of my family ... think that the Irish [et al.] ... are to blame for how screwed up our country is."
I take it "Sean" is not really your name, then.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Oh, it is. This is my dad's side of the family. They're mostly polish. My mom's family is mostly western European, with a bit of English and Irish mixed in, hence my name using the Irish spelling.
Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :
The true Irish spelling would be Cian.
Posted by Sean (Member # 2010) on :
Isn't that a colour?
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
quote:Originally posted by WizArtist II: Without anything driving it though, communism at best leads to an unchanging status quo as there is no real incentive for improvement and eventually that will lead to entropy.
If the goal is to improve, let's just bomb ourselves back to the stone age - there's plenty of room for improvement down there! Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
That's cyan.
Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :
I know a fellow named [shawn] that spells it Cian. Its an original Gaelic spelling or some such.
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
quote:Originally posted by Daniel Butler:
quote:Originally posted by WizArtist II: Without anything driving it though, communism at best leads to an unchanging status quo as there is no real incentive for improvement and eventually that will lead to entropy.
If the goal is to improve, let's just bomb ourselves back to the stone age - there's plenty of room for improvement down there!
We ARE!.....We just started with Iraq & Afghanistan.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
And you're right about everything you said, hence why I realize it won't ever be possible yet wish it could be.