From owner-freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Jul 27 14:25:27 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 571F837B401 for ; Sun, 27 Jul 2003 14:25:27 -0700 (PDT) Received: from bitblocks.com (bitblocks.com [209.204.185.216]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9E0E543F75 for ; Sun, 27 Jul 2003 14:25:26 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from bakul@bitblocks.com) Received: from bitblocks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by bitblocks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h6RLPQ2I037230; Sun, 27 Jul 2003 14:25:26 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from bakul@bitblocks.com) Message-Id: <200307272125.h6RLPQ2I037230@bitblocks.com> To: Bill Moran In-reply-to: Your message of "Sun, 27 Jul 2003 16:05:17 EDT." <3F24307D.8040404@potentialtech.com> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 14:25:25 -0700 From: Bakul Shah cc: chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Nonsense discussion: dreaming up new technology X-BeenThere: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Non technical items related to the community List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 21:25:27 -0000 > Umm ... is there a reason for keeping a log book beyond being able > to brag that "I thought of this 5 years before anyone else" and having > proof? You need the log book to *protect* your new idea. When most of the ingredients of an invention (mainly, most of the underlying technologies) are in place, it is not uncommon for a number of people to simulteneously get the same idea and then race to realizing it. In such a case if a patent dispute arises, a detailed log book with dates showing when you first thought of an idea and how you implemented it can help in determining who "got there first". Witnessing or notarizing your entry is to help keep you honest. At least, that is how the system is supposed to work! But if you don't care to turn your ideas into reality you don't have to bother!