Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Patents, Copyrights and Technological Stagnation

Here, James Watt: Monopolist, is an interesting account of James Watt's legal fight to prevent the use and technological advancement of steam engines. It is on a website devoted to the "Austrian School" of economics. It points out that a patent give to James Watt leading to him focusing more on remunerative patent lawsuits that actual construction and sale of steam engines.

The article was cited in a discussion on slashdot on the British intending to focus more selling music then pointless legal wrangling, UK Music Industry Calls For Truce With Technology.

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