Mr. Gracey Goes to Washington???

erco

Not yet anyway. But if Sparkfun's Nathan gets called to testify to help educate the House of Representatives on the pressures on business in regards to copyright and intellectual property (IP), shouldn't Ken and Chip also get an all-expense trip to our nation's capital? Who's more forthcoming about open source stuff than our own Team Gracey?

https://www.sparkfun.com/news/1229?utm_source=SparkFun+Customer+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d011cd67f1-Aug12-16_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fa5287abaf-d011cd67f1-60582369

Microcontrolled

Judging by previous posts related to the legalism behind open source, the Graceys probably want nothing to do with the political side of open source policies, though they very graciously give to the community.
But hey, I could be wrong. They're certainly knowledgeable about it.

NWCCTV

They're certainly knowledgeable about it.

Which is why Washington will not invite them!!! They want nothing to do with anyone that really knows what is going on. Reminds me of an Oxy Moron from when I was in the Army. "Military Intelligence"!!!!!

EDIT: No, I am not knocking our Military. That was just one of the Army jokes back in the day.

jazzed

NWCCTV wrote: »

Oxy Moron from when I was in the Army. "Military Intelligence"!!!!!

This phrase is one reason I enjoyed Sheep in the Big City so much ... (6 year Navy veteran here).

Heater.

erco,

Who's more forthcoming about open source stuff than our own Team Gracey?

Oh I don't know, what about Richard Stallman http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman
or Eric Raymond http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_S._Raymond

I don't mean to be critical, the current open source efforts by Parallax are wonderful, but they were a bit late to the party.

Now if you want to talk about patents on closed source things like, say, micro-controller designs, I know Chip has some strong views.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Speaking of oxymorons, how about "intellectual property?"

Quoting Thomas Jefferson,

"... If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. ..."

Okay, I've llearned that T.J. was kind of a backstabbing jerk in his day. But his populist notions of "property" resonate even now, and I agree with his central thesis that promulgating ideas so that others may use them does not diminish the giver's store.

-Phil