[ExI] Problem with Pattents

[ablainey at aol.com]

On Friday 22 February 2008, ABlainey at aol.com wrote:
> Why would the poor quality products survive? Data is very different
> from Hardware. If the consumer has the choice of products he will go
> for the best quality he can afford.
> Unless you are talking disposable rubbish items.

The data defines the product. This is how we have our mechanical 
factories, which take RTL files and 3D specs and other stuff and use 
the CNC mills to chip away to make your plastics, metals, casts, etc. 
Just because you're a consumer doesn't mean you're not interested in 
storing an extra 50 KB on your computer to represent some old/worse 
designs. 





I see what you mean, survival in the design form stored as data. I was referring more to the actual goods themselves as they are on the shelves of your local shop in a pre
Nano assembler world. I agree with your point though, I have no doubt that the design storage device on my own assembler will be full to bursting with every iteration 
of every product design. Just in case!. This is no different to now. My point was that in a truly free market (and patent free) if anyone can make a product, only the best
will survive. The exceptions being where supply is low and demand is high.





> Income is relevant as we still live in a money society, Hopefully
> this is short term. Even in a post money economy, If you have to pay
> the piper for his licence, then that will be in blood,sweat and
> tears. Cash replaced by slavery? No thanks! even with the purely
> semantic difference between the two .

Right, but how did that guy get what he has that you want? Intelligence, 
and this is something else that futurists commonly say will be in 
abundance in the future given recursive ai. 




That's as maybe, I'll be among the first in the queue for an upgrade. However like money, intelligence doesn't make for good people, no sireee. It does certainly help though.
Also even if a blanket level of intelligence could be achieved, this would not remove the 'Arms race' of technology. It easy to imagine a lovely cosy star trek post money world.
However I think systems such a patents (as the currently stand) are barriers to us achieving such an existence. 





> worth i'm willing to give barter a try. I have about 30 metric tons
> of english boulder clay. Anyone swap for something? postage might be
> a bit pricey, but you can pick it up if you have a truck. I'll swap
> small quantities if you have something small to exchange.

Or they will just program some bacteria to make some clay from the 
ground on which they live/stand. And if they don't have any material 
resources of their own (such as land), I am sure there would be some 
communities willing to put up with them and give them resources to work 
with, as long as they meet certain requirements (i.e., you don't want 
to let just anybody join you up there on the moon or what have you). If 
you want to barter, that's completely up to you, though I imagine a 
computerized agent search system to find people wanting to trade for 
particular items etc.

- Bryan


 


 I wasn't talking in the future tense. Do you want some clay? LOL. There are only so many pots a man can make in a garden shed and my better half won't let me build a round house!

Seriously, what you seem to elude to is that in a post nano assembler world. It would appear the only thing of any value would be raw materials. I would like to think that Life would also be valued, but fear it will be reduced to simply the knowledge gained being valued. Which in a world where it could be instantly gained from another or stored should they cease to exist (dead or upload vessel destroyed) perhaps even the knowledge/data would have little value? Troubling.

Alex








 


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