Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site oakhill.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!ut-sally!oakhill!davet From: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Newsgroups: net.misc,net.physics Subject: Re: perpet motion - oil companies hiding plans is self-contradictory Message-ID: <369@oakhill.UUCP> Date: Wed, 20-Mar-85 23:48:19 EST Article-I.D.: oakhill.369 Posted: Wed Mar 20 23:48:19 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 23-Mar-85 02:33:45 EST References: <608@vortex.UUCP> Reply-To: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Organization: Motorola Inc. Austin, Tx Lines: 36 Xref: watmath net.misc:7607 net.physics:2279 Summary: I've always thought that the ideas about oil companies (or any other business) buying up or otherwise hiding ideas or patents which are so potent as to revolutionize (and thus undermine) their field of activity is self-contradict- ory. The obvious reason is that if those ideas or patents are so potent, then billions of dollars could be had by exploiting them, *not* hiding them! Instead of scenario A: Charles - "Gee Bob, this new car design could possibly get 120 Miles to the Gallon!" Bob - "OH NO! That would ruin my stock options. We better get the leagal beagles on this right away to cover it up!" I propose scenario B would really happen: Charles - "Wow! Bob! This new car just might possibly get 120 Miles to the Gallon!!!!!!!" Bob - "My God, Charles!!! Lets get the company to sell this to Ford or GM!!! It must be worth BILLIONS of dollars to them!!!! And our company will MAKE A MINT!!!!! or Bob - "My God, Charles!!! Even if it takes two years, by the time our tire company starts producing cars we'll MOP UP THE WORD CAR MAKET AND BE BILLIONARES!!!!!!!" In other words, it seems to me that potent ideas are just ripe for picking up gobs of many any way you look at it, EXCEPT FOR *NOT* USING THEM and gambling on not LOSING money instead. Is there something I'm missing? Dave Trissel {seismo,ihnp4,gatech}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet