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Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by felipelemos on Thursday February 14, 2019 @06:01PM (#19166917)
A patent is way to encourage inventions, awarding the inventors the exclusive rights to their own inventions.

The public good is a priority. The idea is that the invention is beneficial to the public. If somebody creates a good invention but deny it from the public, this patent should not be in public interest anymore.

Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by dorgo on Friday February 15, 2019 @04:34AM (#19169611)
> somebody creates a good invention but deny it from the public

for about 15 years.. After 15 years the public can make use of the invention without paying a penny. How it is not in publics interest?

Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by rcxdude on Friday February 15, 2019 @07:26AM (#19170281)
Because even if removing the patent system meant that the invention was kept secret from the public, it would most likely be reinvented many times in that 15 year time. The worst part of patents is that they extend even to others who do the legwork themselves, and frequently stifle an entire area (for example, 3D printing exploded in popularity and accessability right after some key patents held by stratasys expired, and this was in the best case of a company actually developing the technology they had patented).
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by dorgo on Friday February 15, 2019 @05:56PM (#19175522)
We are talking about an exceptional case here. The patent owner is a wealthy and extentric agent who disregarts potential profit from selling/licensing/using the patent. And even in such rare and unexpected cases the public eventually gains access to inventions - which is not neccessarely the case for inventions kept secret. Basically, the society trades speed of technological development for certaininity of achieving its goals.
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by felipelemos on Friday February 15, 2019 @07:10AM (#19170202)
For 15 years nobody can use a invention, even if willing to pay. How is that in public interest?
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by paleogizmo on Friday February 15, 2019 @09:40AM (#19171235)
I'm guessing the practical meaning is that the inventor is not required to license the invention "at a fair and reasonable" price but is free to ask whatever he/she feels is appropriate. I could imagine a case where the industry the inventor wishes to market to is controlled by a cartel which colludes to offer a low price for the invention. In this case, the inventor may wish not to sell or license in the hope that the cartel breaks up or gives in.
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by pnw_hazor on Thursday February 14, 2019 @07:47PM (#19167580)
The public also benefits from people inventing alternatives to patented inventions.
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by throwaway415415 on Thursday February 14, 2019 @08:35PM (#19167808)
That's debatable. Your point is that patent would encourage diversity which I'm sure it doesn't change much. Worst it sometimes prevents advances
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by lessclue on Thursday February 14, 2019 @11:33PM (#19168473)
How’s that good for the public?
Re:Winning the Blackbird Battle by cuu508 on Friday February 15, 2019 @12:48AM (#19168742)
More alternatives to choose from.