>Looking up information on arithmetic encoding compression on the 
>web, I found that a few companies have patents on AEC.  Each is a 
>patent on a slight variation on an original idea.  Sure the 
>companies that have patents make money on the royalties but what 
>about the guys who thought it up the first time.

Well... it is my understand that the guy who thought it up, is 
usually the guy who owns the patent. In the US, companies cannot own 
patents -- only people can. However, companies can make it 
requirement that anyone developing a patentable idea on their dime 
will licence it to them.

>(I have the same problem with genetics companies 'patenting' the 
>codes in the human body.  These companies didn't invent the codes or 
>human body, they have no right to patent the codes themselves.  Now 
>if the make an original product based on that research they have 
>numerous rights to that invention.)

I don't have that problem with that -- for without the companies to 
pay the cost (many of them failing to produce anything worthwhile) 
should be able to make a profit from their efforts. Without that 
possibility for profit, then no one would be willing to risk their 
investment.

Heather, you've been around those left-minded Professors too much. 
:-) The academic environment is filled with people who don't have to 
justify their existence with a "bottom line". Sure they have to keep 
their standards up (via occasional publishing and keeping the 
football team in the limelight). But when they have to justify their 
existence by their product (i.e., students getting good paying jobs), 
they are above that sort of thing -- they peruse loftier purposes. 
MHO.

tedd

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