Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

I think it's easier than ever to invent because of prior inventions. Think back to ages ago when something like Jethro Tull's seed drill was one of the most advanced instruments available. Once people became aware of it they would be stimulated into imagining other products they might not otherwise have conceived. Not only that, but the advent of controlled large-scale agriculture itself freed people up to invent and introduced many to the mere opportunity ("aye, if only there was now a better plow...").

What's more difficult now, I would wager, are the major breakthrough type inventions. But little things that make life easier or more interesting? Yeah, I think they're conceived more and more frequently... and technology is certainly an enabler and stimulator.

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

Not sure if you can measure technological progress or inventions through the number of patents. Patents reflect business models, and not science or technology per se. How many patents do linux developers have compared to Microsoft, Apple, etc ? Does that mean Linux developers do not invent or employ technologically advanced ideas ?

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

True. When there's actually a product coming from it. So I guess the distinction is between the idea and the actual product?

That's actually a good question. I'll have to ask her about it.

attila77, that's a good question. And often some patents/copyrights/trademarks get filed simply for defensive reasons. That happened to Linux (someone took it to the office, got it, and started suing everyone for using the word Linux [or was it specifically Linux?]). It took a court case to return the patent/copyright/trademark (I forget what it was) to Torvalds and he later donated it to the Linux foundation.

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

and also more people with higher educations, and more information available in general (edison never had any real education, but was interested in experimenting).

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

That's been true throughout history. It's the rule of progressive advancement. IE, you can't build one thing until something else has been created or certain knowledge has been gained. Each item that's created relies on something else already having been created or learned prior to it's own invention. Take a look at the PC world. We wouldn't have the processors we have today if the other slower, older processors hadn't been invented before them.

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

Thanks, LR, that's what I was alluding to.

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

You're welcome. :D

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

Yes (except pharmaceuticals), you don't get silos of independent development anymore with a breakthrough after years of work. Everyone is driven to file patents as incremental inventions come along, which means that the technology gets revealed when published, which means that the next invention is only an incremental advance over what was published before, and so on.

Nice blog post on patent myths, btw.

Re: The end of multitouch for...everyone?
 

True, in the US.

But in Soviet Russia, multitouch patents YOU!