Hard Drive Imports to be Banned?

Arathon writes "Apparently the International Trade Commission is beginning an investigation that could lead to the banning of hard drive imports from Western Digital, Seagate, and Toshiba, among others, on the grounds that they fundamentally violate patents held by Steven and Mary Reiber of California. The patent apparently has to do with "dissipative ceramic bonding tips", which are important components of the drives themselves. Obviously, a ban would be unthinkable, and yet the ITC has 45 days to settle on a fixed date for the end of the investigation. If the patents are found to be violated, and the Reibers do not allow those patents to be bought or otherwise dealt with, the importation of almost all hard drives would actually be ceased."

Comments

Re:useful arts

[aurispector]

I am not trying to claim that the current system is great, just that there needs to be incentive for individuals or corporations to spend money on r & d. As I pointed out earlier, if nothing can be patented then the only advantage a brand can have in the market is price. Since Indian and Chinese labor is paid a small fraction of workers in the US or Europe, the advantage automatically goes to them. Pharma research is so ridiculously expensive AND rigidly controlled that nobody would do it if they weren't able to recoup costs. God forbid anyone should make a profit.

Certainly nobody wants ugly pink jumpers. People want boner pills and stuff to make heart attacks go away so they can be fat and lazy. Besides, once it goes OFF patent, anyone in the world has FREE access to the information. Where's the problem?

Example A: A company dumps $300 million into developing a new, unique molocule that cures a fatal disease for which there is currently no treatment. People are no longer dying and when the patent expires, the minimum cost of production and distribution sets the price due to that magical thing called "free market competition". All of humanity benefits forever more. The company uses profits to develop new drugs. Repeat Example A.

Example B: A company dumps $300 million into developing a new, unique molocule that cures a fatal disease for which there is currently no treatment. Once this is released, Chinese and Indian companies with no R&D budget flood the market with ultra cheap copies. All of humanity benefits forever more. The company that developed the drug goes belly up and the unique nexus of research talent is forever lost. Humanity suffers from the lack of future research since no company in their right minds will do R&D since there is no profit in it. End of cycle.

I read Marx; it was the biggest load of horseshit I ever laid eyes upon. Anyone who has ever run a business or raised a child (I've done both) would immediately recognize the stupidity of Marx's ideas. Go ahead and link a few more academic theories: perhaps some day you will graduate and learn how the real world operates - NOTHING is free.

Re:useful arts

[aurispector]

I love how you completely ignore the fact that PATENTS EXPIRE and that companies compete to patent similar things - look at the plethora of statin drugs on the market. There is still competition! You are simply making stupid assertions without providing explainations.

I can only assume you are an idiot or a troll. Judging from the AC post it's troll, but that doesn't rule out your being an idiot as well. Sophomore in college? Know the definition of that word?