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A Replacement Term for 'Intellectual Property'?

Posted by Cliff on from the do-not-underestimate-the-power-of-language dept.

femto asks: "Every time I read the words 'intellectual property', I get peeved off. It is an oxymoron. A term loaded with invalid assumptions. To even use such words is an admission that intellect can be owned and controlled like a car, clothing or other thing made of atoms. Can anyone propose a replacement for the words 'Intellectual Property'? Something that implies intellect cannot be owned. Something that implies [what Jefferson once said]: 'He who lites his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' Once we have this term, we need to get it accepted. Use it in publications. Cite these publications to get it in dictionaries. Get the term into everyday conversation and writing. So far, the best I have come up with is 'Intellectual Controls'. Can Slashdot come up with something better?"

9 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. At SCO we prefer to call it.. by ChrisSontagsAnus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ours.

  2. Simple Enough . . . by Cokelee · · Score: 2, Funny

    {joke}

    Can Slashdot come up with something better?

    Erm, no. Sorry.

    {/joke}

    $smarty style

  3. One Word by skinfitz · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Mine!"

  4. Top Terms by DeadSea · · Score: 4, Funny
    Refer to it as you will, I think I can find a few other terms:
    1. White Collar Products
    2. Stuff We Thought Up
    3. Material Under Copyright
    4. Those Things of Artistic, Scientific, or Trollish Nature
    5. Products of the Mind
    6. Intellectual Works
    7. Brain Droppings
  5. Re:Who Gives An Intellectual Property's Ass? by orangesquid · · Score: 5, Funny

    You could call it "wild sex"!

    "SCO sues IBM over wild sex"
    "IBM wild sex brings in millions in revenue"
    "Here, at CorporateAmerica, we value our wild sex.."
    "Wild sex is an important lubricant of the computer business world"
    "It is illegal to steal your employer's wild sex."
    "After a while, some wild sex falls into public hands"
    "Without wild sex, life as we know it could not exist."
    "Ask Slashdot: I don't like people using wild sex. Is there something better than wild sex?" the answer: No.

    --
    --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
  6. At SCO we prefer to call it "precious" by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Precious, precious, precious!" Darl McBride cried. "My Precious! O my Precious!" And with that, even as his eyes were lifted up to gloat on his prize, he stepped too far, toppled, wavered for a moment on the brink, and then with a shriek he fell.

    Out of the depths came his last wail Precious, and he was gone.

  7. IP by quantum+bit · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not to mention that IP stood for "Internet Protocol" long before people ever used it for "Intellectual Property".

    Those asshats need to get their own acronym.

  8. Re:Without getting 'too loaded'.. by Parsec · · Score: 3, Funny

    How 'bout: "Knowledge Restrictions And Permissions" or long for "KRAP".

  9. Re:Apples and oranges by Tower · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'd call it an interesting start for the next Lesiure Suit Larry....

    --
    "It's tough to be bilingual when you get hit in the head."