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From: ben@hpldola.HP.COM (Benjamin Ellsworth)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Re: Who owns the output of an AI? (actually wonders of rn)
Message-ID: <11160002@hpldola.HP.COM>
Date: Sat, 21-Nov-87 20:12:12 EST
Article-I.D.: hpldola.11160002
Posted: Sat Nov 21 20:12:12 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Nov-87 10:29:22 EST
References: <4657@spool.wisc.edu>
Organization: HP Elec. Design Div. -ColoSpgs
Lines: 20


As a hammer manufacturer do I get to charge rent on the houses built
with my hammers?

As a lathe manufacturer do I get to charge royalties for spindles
turned on my lathes?

The idea of charging for the output of the tools is patently (:-)
ridiculous.  You charge for your tool what the market will bear;
charging for your creative input.  You do not then get the right to
"tax" the creative output of your users (except as you can convince
your users to give it to you).

I would not buy a software product which tried to harness my creative
output.  I would strongly encourage others not to buy such products.

-----

Benjamin Ellsworth
...hplabs!hpldola!ben