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BGonline.org Forums
My view on information
Posted By: David Rockwell In Response To: My view on information (Michael Petch)
Date: Saturday, 29 January 2011, at 3:53 p.m.
I hear you saying that when something of value is spread to a greater number of people, the wealth of humanity is increased. Let's take that as a given and go down the path a little further.
How much new generally useful information is produced in the future under this set of rules? The answer is "some". Some inventors, inovators and researchers will continue to produce. Others who want or need to generate revenue in order to continue production will not. In total, the volume of new science and art produced will be less. Going back to your original vision, humanity will have more of some products and less of others. In many instances prescription drugs, music and backgammon books which would have been produced in a patent or copyright protected environment will not be produced in their absence. Those who would gladly be willing to pay for a new backgammon book will not have that opportunity for books not published.
I constantly give away my backgammon knowledge to those who are interested in what I have to say without asking anything in return. I enjoy this. If I am ever motivated to formally write a book, I would probably want to know that copyright protections were in place. Or maybe I wouldn't care. I won't know until it happens. In any event, my opinion is that this is the best system. Those who produce the knowledge should be able to decide whether it may be freely circulated or not. I believe that this is the system which maximizes the wealth of humanity. I believe that systems without incentives to produce inevitably fail.
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