Re: [Phys-l] Patent laws [was Video Encyclopedia of Physics Demos (ownership)]

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

In the case of Dickens there was no treaty protecting his novels (ca. 
civil war).  (1891 International copy write treaty)   (Twain had the 
same problem.)  This appears to be a good historical site:

http://chnm.gmu.edu/digitalhistory/copyright/1.php



In the case of the wizard, his films were just short (up to one minute) 
clips mainly of street scenes, etc.  e.g. arrival of a train.  He was no 
artist;   wouldn't license machine * to those who would make longer 
narrative films.  W/ the better machines ** (screen projection) not 
controlled by the plodding wizard, artistic invention flowered.   It 
just turned out the first innovators were French followed by the 
Russians (e.g. Eisenstein) and the USans (e.g. Griffith).  (Source KTEH, 
San Jose - an early "Hollywood ***", produced short.)

* control freak
**  why bc quoted JU's rationale
*** One Santa Barbara studio is still "extant".  The film industry moved 
to Hollywood, Laudate Deum, because SB was too Catholic.

bc, thinks he understood the distinction.

p.s. The delay was only about 5 years from the mfg. of Edison's 
Kinetoscope and that of projection machines one of which was mfg'd by 
Edison's company (Vitascope, licensed).  About a year later he mfg'd his 
own invention and abandoned the Vitascope.  Additional source:

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledisonvitascope.htm

p.p.s.  Correct sort of.  "The Wind Done Gone"  passed muster, sort of.  
BTW, mfgng. processes are also patentable.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_Done_Gone


Jack Uretsky wrote:

> This post suggests a fundamental confusion between patent and 
> copyright protection.
>     Patents protect ideas, as embodied in inventions.  Patents are 
> only enforceable within the boundaries of a nation. (This is almost 
> exacly correct - there are such things as design patentts, but they 
> are protected osimilar grounds as other inventions).
>     Copyright protects means of expression.  You may copy the plot of 
> "Gond with the Wind", for example, as long as you do so in your own 
> words.
> Copyrights, by treaty, are internationally protected (by all the 
> treaty signatories).
>             Regards,
>                 Jack
>
>
> On Fri, 20 Oct 2006, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
>
> > "Indeed a big part of the rationale for having patent laws at all
> > is to encourage refinements and further improvements."
> >
> >
> > Just listened to a short on the history of cinema [Yes, a few hours
> > ago.], wherein the narrator explained that patent law stifled cinema
> > creativity. The wizard of Menlo Park wouldn't license his machines.  As
> > soon as projection machines were invented cinema flowered especially in
> > France.
> >
> > bc
> >
> > p.s. In another episode the narrator explained the lack of copy write or
> > enforcement resulted in the greatest innovator (Méliès) to die 
> > penniless.
> >
> > John Denker wrote:
> >
> > > on 10/18/2006 10:00 PM Ludwik Kowalski said the following:
> > >
> > >
> > > > This thread made me think about a hypothetical situation with a 
> > > > car. An
> > > > inventor bought a car and then invented something to improve
> > > > performance. He adds this gadget to the existing structure and 
> > > > drives a
> > > > better car. Is he violating a patent law?
> > >
> > > No ... unless his improvement is a re-invention of something covered
> > > by another patent.
> > >
> > > Indeed a big part of the rationale for having patent laws at all
> > > is to encourage refinements and further improvements.
> > >
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