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On Thu, 18 May 2006, Russ Hamm wrote: > Mike Csontos wrote: > That being said, I would argue that intellectual property is qualitatively > different from real property (land). You don't purchase it from the last in > a line of entities emanating from that original act of claiming or theft. > It's something created from one's own effort and cleverness, and as such > should properly belong to the creator. The issues arise when the creator > passes away. The creation, if worthy, will have a lasting value. To whom > does this belong? The concept of public domain should exercise a powerful > claim when the creation is a part of the public's cultural heritage. I believe one can go further...is there any original thought? Should John Adams sue Richard Danielpour when Danielpour borrows gestures from the music of Adams. It was about 20 years ago I wrote TV Guide a letter. I suggested that they put their listings online and provide keyword searching. We now have such a system available from several suppliers. So, was I the first to think of it? Probably not, but who knows. Should I have copyrighted my "idea." But my idea was not anything other than using available technology to facilitate the use of information. So, at what point does an "idea" become intellectual property. It seems to me that the notion of intellectual property and patent might very well have reached the point where they should be merged. For me, if we are to think of intellectual property as an object and, more and more, invention has become ideas, why do we make a distinction and I wonder, how can we. I really don't know and would like to know what others might think. I just encountered www.intelproplaw.com I found it most telling in an odd way...it features a daily calendar of Intellectual Property Events..remember when the "Weather Channel" seemed liked an odd notion...How about an "Intellectual Property Channel" a 24 hour channel which will give you the most recent news on the subject...I recall a parody in Mad Magazine...following on the lead of the "Weather Channel" they had a "Time Channel." No, it wasn't one of those things which said, "on this date in history," basically it was just about watching time go by... Karl