[arcticbull]

> The point is that we should reconsider giving (temporary) monopolies to companies that are based public research.

Now we can disagree on term length, but, a temporary monopoly to a company is what a patent is defined as and lasts 20 years.

[brlewis]

Patents are one tool to promote the progress of science and useful arts. Publicly funded research is a different tool. Usually, patents are based on privately funded research.

[eumenides1]

the problem is for a competitor to emerge, they have to do a lot of work after X years.

My proposal is to have a company parallel develop processes so we can have competitor after expiry immediately. The competitor can't profit from it, but it can do work at 0 cost.