Re: Fear of Life (was Microsoft, Automation)

Randall R Randall (rrandall6@juno.com)
Sat, 23 May 1998 18:23:15 -0400


--
On Thu, 21 May 1998 19:52:37 -0500 ChuckKuecker <ckuecker@mcs.net>
writes:
>At 03:45 PM 5/21/98 -0400, you wrote:
>>
>>The problem with "stealing" information is that it is
>>sooo difficult to show the missing information, since
>>it isn't. As long as you still have something, I haven't
>>stolen it.
>
>Where does this reasoning leave trade secrets? If they become public
>knowledge via theft, under your reasoning, there's no recourse unless
you
>catch the thief in the act?

Or can prove that it was she who stole it. Insuring trade
secrets would allow for compensation of the victim, and
allow for a method of determining the secret's value to
the victim.

>Obviously, there are people and businesses out there who abuse the
patent
>system, such as the guy who had an 'idea' for the microprocessor, but
never
>did any actual development. Later, when others had independently
invented
>the thing, he came back and fought for a patent on the grounds that it
was
>'his idea'. I believe he won..

This seems inseperable from the idea of owning ideas in the
first place.

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Wolfkin.
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