Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
One could equally say that the plumber is not inventing out of thin air the techniques of plumbing - he's using the knowledge of all the thousands of years of plumbing that predate him.
Pretty much any activity one can think of involves the re-use of knowledge gained by others; writing certainly isn't unique in this respect.
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The plumber doesn't have the power to stop others from using the same techniques. Someone else can be called to fix the pipes next time, you do not have to make a payment every time you pour something down the drain. You can sell the house and the plumbing with it. You can replace a shower head yourself and not have to pay if someone else uses your shower.
The writer gets a monopoly for life+70 more years probably extended to life+90 in a few years. The writer is getting special treatment the plumber is not.