Nathan Myhrvold Confusing Innovation And Invention
from the what-good-is-that? dept
Nathan Myhrvold has received plenty of attention for his idea to create an "invention factory", but the company seems to be much more focused on buying up and hoarding a bunch of patents. In other words, they're acting like many of those little patent hoarding firms that go around demanding what amounts to legalized extortion from the companies doing the real innovating. In a new interview, Myhrvold answers questions about the issue of patent hoarding, but the answers are pretty weak. On the issue of why he's forming the company, he talks up the myth of the lone "crazy inventor" of the 19th century. The problem is, that's not really accurate. The names we all associate with inventing certain products were usually just those who innovated in an ongoing area to make a product that made sense in the marketplace. Myhrvold goes on to explain why inventors shouldn't be so focused on marketable products -- but it's the marketable products that are the real innovation. Real innovation occurs when someone sees a need and figures out how to fill it. That's not what his company is doing. It's trying to invent things out of thin air -- meaning that it's trying to invent needs out of thin air. Myhrvold also swats aside complaints about the patent system by saying that only a few people are really complaining about it, so it can't really be a problem. He also says: "The overall number of lawsuits for patents is growing, but so is the overall number of patents. So explain that to me." That's quite easy to explain, actually. Because of litigation and patent hoarding companies, everyone feels they must have their own patents, just to defend against such practices, or at least to settle with a little horse trading. It's just nuclear stockpiling basically. Build up as much as you can just to scare off the other guy. The only people who really benefit, though, are the lawyers. All that patent filing money doesn't get to go into actual innovation.
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Invention
Also, many inventions are bought by large companies buy up inventions just to keep them off of the market (although this is happening less and less)because they would ruin the market for an existing product.
It is also a large "risk" to try to market a totally innovative product.
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My Lawer Will Be In Touch
Unfortun4tly, Myhrvold be4t me to the letter 'a', 4nd that ph4t greedy b4st4rd w4nts 4 buck 4 shot, so I'm trying to cut down on using it.
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Re: My Lawer Will Be In Touch
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patents
Anyway Nathan Myhrvold God Bless you in your venture because if it takes off, and it is solely up to you to see that it does, many companies with existing investment in certain items that will be over thrown by your particular items will either be looking to lobby you out or give in and buy patents from you. Kick ass and while your at it visit my website where I try to sell my prototype bike seat along with the patent as well. Let me know at jrcarrillo@jrcarri.com
Sincerely,
Juan Carrillo
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classic
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