- #36
Bacle2
Science Advisor
- 1,089
- 10
I actually agree with WWGD in that the only way of having a reasonably-level playing field between those with
few resources and those with plenty is to ignore copyright _until_ one moves up in the professional ladder. After that, no more freebies. And it is absurd that countries with well-developed industries and technologies, often with 10's, if not 100's of years of experience expect (economically) smaller/weaker, less-developed countries to fully lower their trade and tariff barriers. Seriously? A start-up in, say, Haiti is supposed to compete in an equal footing with the likes of Krupps, or any of the other powerful, well-heeled companies with millions of dollars in their R&D budgets and 100's of hi-tech patents? Seems comparable to asking a 10-year old child to stop mooching and get a job. Let him grow up in a protected environment, nurture him/her, let them become stronger, maybe earn a trade or a degree and _then_ ask them to compete on the same footing with all the more knowledgeable ones. And, again, like WWGD said, many western countries did have their own trade barriers and tariffs in their beginning, until they were strong-enough. But now the want the poorer countries with weaker technology to lower their guards and lower their barriers/tariffs.
Why aren't more people who decry the theft of intellectual property bothered at the fact that most of the rich west helped build itself up by pirating and violating copyright ? I saw the actual C-Span show were the details of that book WWGD mentions where presented:
http://www.booktv.org/search.aspx?For=Bad%20Samaritans.
few resources and those with plenty is to ignore copyright _until_ one moves up in the professional ladder. After that, no more freebies. And it is absurd that countries with well-developed industries and technologies, often with 10's, if not 100's of years of experience expect (economically) smaller/weaker, less-developed countries to fully lower their trade and tariff barriers. Seriously? A start-up in, say, Haiti is supposed to compete in an equal footing with the likes of Krupps, or any of the other powerful, well-heeled companies with millions of dollars in their R&D budgets and 100's of hi-tech patents? Seems comparable to asking a 10-year old child to stop mooching and get a job. Let him grow up in a protected environment, nurture him/her, let them become stronger, maybe earn a trade or a degree and _then_ ask them to compete on the same footing with all the more knowledgeable ones. And, again, like WWGD said, many western countries did have their own trade barriers and tariffs in their beginning, until they were strong-enough. But now the want the poorer countries with weaker technology to lower their guards and lower their barriers/tariffs.
Why aren't more people who decry the theft of intellectual property bothered at the fact that most of the rich west helped build itself up by pirating and violating copyright ? I saw the actual C-Span show were the details of that book WWGD mentions where presented:
http://www.booktv.org/search.aspx?For=Bad%20Samaritans.