Err... wasn't your post a perfect example of why patents exist?

The concept probably has a real name, I call it first mover disadvantage. It is much easier to copy a mechanism than to invent it. So why even try? Every thing you have to spend real effort to invent is trivially copied the instant you try to sell it. And them copying it don't have to bear the nearly the R&D expenses you did. so it is trivial for them to sell this mechanism for less meaning you don't even get a fair slice of the pie.

So to try and limit this imbalance we invent a legal fiction, ownership, not of a physical thing, but the way it works. Not forever, but for 20 years you get ownership over those works.

Patents do have their problems, But I think the core idea is sound, create a registry of mechinisms, use this to provide economic protection to the inventor.

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thaumasiotes 5 hours ago | parent [-]

> Err... wasn't your post a perfect example of why patents exist?

Why? In this scenario, what would happen with a patent that wouldn't happen without a patent?

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IcyWindows 2 hours ago | parent [-]

I worked on a software project make years ago. We spent a lot of money over months doing users studies to figure out the best UI for a narrow demographic.

The final UI was simple and intuitive, but it took a lot of money figuring it out.

I don't think the money would have been spent if our competition could immediately copy what we figured out.

Customers did benefit then, and now, 20 years later, anyone can do it, and humanity is little better off than if no research was done.

	▲	thaumasiotes an hour ago \| parent [-]
		So... in this scenario, what would happen with a patent that wouldn't happen without a patent?