Saving U.S. Science

beebo famulus writes "Twenty years from now, experts doubt that America will remain a dominant force in science as it was during the last century. The hand wringing has generated a couple of new ideas to deal with the dilemma. Specifically, one expert says that the federal government should create contests and prize awards for successful science ideas, while another advises that the National Science Foundation fund more graduate students and increase the amount of the fellowships."

Comments

What you've set up your laws to do

[quiberon2]

You've set up your laws to favour commercial progress, rather than to favour scientific progress.

If I want to make scientific progress, then I have to do things the Linux way; build on other people's work, publish my own freely for all to share.

If I want to make commercial progress, then I have to do things the Windows way; sell everyone a copy and make a pile of $$$.

But you've got this Digital Millennium Copyright Act thing, which kind-of devalues scientific progress, in order that the commercial crew can make more $$$.

Perhaps if you rebalance it; encourage Bill Gates to put his money into Malaria research; you'll get somewhere.