Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

The point of the patent system is to encourage inventors to publish their inventions without fear of having the idea stolen.



But the whole idea of my comment was that patents expire in 20 years!


Then again you run the risk of someone else beating you to the patent. I love those stories about how the famous creator/inventor of [some idea or device] published the discovery an hour/day/week before someone else.


Odd. I always thought it was litigation.


Well, you thought wrong. Patents were intended (and, for the longest time, worked quite well) as a trade between inventors and society: the inventor gets a legal 20 year monopoly on using his invention, and the rest of the world learns how exactly it works so that they can use it freely afterwards.


sorry, forgot the sarcasm tags.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: