Err... wasn't your post a perfect example of why patents exist?
The concept probably has a real name, I call it first mover disadvantage. It is much easier to copy a mechanism than to invent it. So why even try? Every thing you have to spend real effort to invent is trivially copied the instant you try to sell it. And them copying it don't have to bear the nearly the R&D expenses you did. so it is trivial for them to sell this mechanism for less meaning you don't even get a fair slice of the pie.
So to try and limit this imbalance we invent a legal fiction, ownership, not of a physical thing, but the way it works. Not forever, but for 20 years you get ownership over those works.
Patents do have their problems, But I think the core idea is sound, create a registry of mechinisms, use this to provide economic protection to the inventor.
> Err... wasn't your post a perfect example of why patents exist?
Why? In this scenario, what would happen with a patent that wouldn't happen without a patent?
I worked on a software project make years ago. We spent a lot of money over months doing users studies to figure out the best UI for a narrow demographic.
The final UI was simple and intuitive, but it took a lot of money figuring it out.
I don't think the money would have been spent if our competition could immediately copy what we figured out.
Customers did benefit then, and now, 20 years later, anyone can do it, and humanity is little better off than if no research was done.
So... in this scenario, what would happen with a patent that wouldn't happen without a patent?
I don't know whether I'm missing something obvious, but with a patent, only the patenting company would use their patented idea. In your post you say:
> If you disclose your brilliant idea, everyone will copy it and your advantage in the marketplace will be transitory.
but that is the very point that patents are supposed to prevent. So why do you say that?
The post you're replying to says:
> I don't think the money would have been spent if our competition could immediately copy what we figured out. Customers did benefit then, and now, 20 years later, anyone can do it
so clearly the patent worked for them: they were able to use their simple and intuitive UI, while the competition could not copy it till 20 years later. So what is the question?