Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer
Presumably than you're okay with patents expiring after 25 years. If I'm right about that, how does it make sense that the "property right" in an idea (in this case, an invention) can expire, but the "property right" in the expression of an idea should be able to last forever?
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I'm not okay with expiring patents. They'd get the same treatment as copyright, but with stricter standards than allowed today. Just because person A invents a steam engine, that doesn't close the book on it. Person B can invent a steam engine too using a different method. Now we have two patents for the steam engine; and more importantly, competition.