Quote from: gentlemand on May 16, 2017, 02:05:51 PM

I do.

It takes time and investment to create and those creators should be compensated. Certain ideas can't become reality without substantial backing. If that backing loses out then we're all the poorer for it.

That is a myth.

If intellectual property laws had started 5,000 years ago we would have virtually none of what we have today. The greatest inventions and art would have been confined to small circles while the world would have been blanketed by superficial crap.

I don't understand people like you. What makes people like you always take the side of the most powerful lobby on every issue, even when their arguments make no sense? Do you really believe that stifling creativity using economic penalties will make people have better ideas or create more? Do you really believe that if powerful lobbies are not allowed to control art, technology etc then there will be no more development?

Here is what happens when you use money to define the bounds of development. These articles from last week about one common medical procedure that has been performed for decades and which will not substantially decline because of these articles.

Note this article tries to discredit the news
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2017/05May/Pages/Keyhole-knee-surgery-is-waste-of-time-review-finds.aspx

While this one give facts
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7312797-millions-of-health-dollars-wasted-on-useless-surgery-researcher/

Most people 'get' the message that the purpose of science, and art, according to people like you, is to make money. Patenting and acknowledging ip rights gives the stamp of approval to mediocrity, like the old snake oil salesmen whose patented products didn't need to actually do anything, they were patented after all.

Regarding the two articles above, ask yourself why the NHS would take the side of minimizing that news.