Klarinet Archive - Posting 000213.txt from 2006/04

From: Joseph Wakeling <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: McIntyre/Mazzeo
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 16:59:18 -0400

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George Huba wrote:
> In his book Mazzeo comments that his system would most likely be more widely
> used at the expiration of the patent and apparently did realize that
> limiting the mechanism to one manufacturer had inhibited its use.
>
> The mechanism is currently not under patent protection and presumably can be
> used by any manufacturer.

Well, the thing is, I think now it's too late. The novelty has worn
off, and now it's perceived as "that funny Mazzeo system that never went
anywhere".

IMO if you invent something you have to decide what you want to do with
it. Do you care more about commercial benefit from it, or do you care
more about other people benefiting from a useful idea? If the latter,
it is best not to restrict its use.

Patenting can still be useful in such a case, because it prevents
someone *else* claiming the patent and putting in place restrictions.
IMO Mazzeo should have patented the system and licensed it under terms
that let anyone who wanted to use it.

Even better would have been to license it in a manner akin to the
"copyleft" ideas that came from Richard Stallman, where a copyrighted
work is licensed under terms that allow free use but require that
derivative works be similarly licensed. But that was a bit after
Mazzeo's time really.

Other clarinet innovators take note. :-)

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