First of all, the assays for this work are inventions, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction. The machines which utilize these assays are patented (and painfully expensive). There is creativity and therefore, invention, in the mapping of the Genome;For example, the designing of the probe/primer sets used in the assays. In short, everything that keeps a biotech company on the edge and competitive has to be patented. By filing in anticipation of a patent the company covers their butt and protects them from spies from other companies. I'm not kidding about the spies. From reading the article, what I gleaned was that Venter is trying to deprivatize the Human Genome, so drug companies cannot monopolize the industry. This preserves the last bastion of competition for all time. Think of what the one company that manages to have the Human Genome could do to the sick and what kind of money they could rake in.
Slashdot Mirror
First of all, the assays for this work are inventions, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction. The machines which utilize these assays are patented (and painfully expensive). There is creativity and therefore, invention, in the mapping of the Genome;For example, the designing of the probe/primer sets used in the assays. In short, everything that keeps a biotech company on the edge and competitive has to be patented. By filing in anticipation of a patent the company covers their butt and protects them from spies from other companies. I'm not kidding about the spies. From reading the article, what I gleaned was that Venter is trying to deprivatize the Human Genome, so drug companies cannot monopolize the industry. This preserves the last bastion of competition for all time. Think of what the one company that manages to have the Human Genome could do to the sick and what kind of money they could rake in.