[donatzsky]

A patent is a time-limited monopoly on an invention, so yes, preventing others from making the same thing is exactly what a patent is for. The idea being that during this time, the inventor can either be the sole source of the widget, thus profiting from it directly, or licence it to someone else. Either case means that they get "compensated fairly".

[flangola7]

That is not what a patent is for. It may unfortunately currently be legal, but that isn't its true purpose.

[eesmith]

That's exactly what a patent is. The purpose (at least for the US) is stated in the US Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 8:

> [The Congress shall have Power . . . ] To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

Now quoting from the US Patent and Trademark Office at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/basics/essentials#questions

"A U.S. patent gives you, the inventor, the right to “exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling” an invention or “importing” it into the U.S. ... What is granted is not the right to make, use, offer for sale, sell or import the invention, but the right to stop others from doing so. If someone infringes on your patent, you may initiate legal action."

[flangola7]

Read my comment again, as you obviously did not internalize it the first time.

[eesmith]

I have done so, but did not find enlightenment about the true purpose of patents.

Perhaps you did not explain it well enough and can provide more details?

Without it, I see no serious conflict or disagreement between my quick summary and the more complete history at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_patent_law

[flangola7]

> I have done so.

You very obviously have not. I'm not going to do your job for you and spoon-feed it to you like a child. This isn't complicated, any truly introspective person with critical thinking skills can handle this.

[eesmith]

Perhaps you posted your comment using another account? The only thing I see from you on the topic is at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37172256 , which is:

> "That is not what a patent is for. It may unfortunately currently be legal, but that isn't its true purpose."

I know the original purpose of copyright was to inhibit publication the government did not want, which only later became modern copyright. I cannot find anything equivalent for patent law.

If its true purpose is to make money for the elite, I think that's no surprise to anyone. But that seems to be the purpose of most laws, and no reason to single out patent law nor be so opaque.

Given that several others responded to your comment the same way I did, I suppose you think we are all like simple-minded children. I trust you realize that even the smartest of people may need more than "isn't its true purpose" as a hint?

I do hope your "study it out"[1]-like response isn't hiding some baseless conspiracy theory.

[1] https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2012/10/12/1143767/--Study-...

Romney Supporter: All you have to do is study it out. Just study it out and you'll see. You haven't done your homework, buddy.

Matthews: What do I need to study?

Romney Supporter: He's a communist. And those of us who are not voting for him know it.

[Tor3]

Please explain its true purpose then. The "exclusive rights in exchange for publishing" seems to have been the very idea behind patents for hundreds of years, all the way back to Jerusalem and Venezia according to Wikipedia, and also defined as such in the modern patent systems established later, in the US and elsewhere.

[teddyh]

IIUC, U.S. patents were constructed to be an immigration policy tool. “Come to America, get paid for your knowledge!” This would encourage people who knew how to build and make things to immigrate to the U.S. Note that patents are an optional part of the constitution; not an inherent right of inventors.

[yieldcrv]

state sanctioned monopolies enshrined in the constitution are exactly what I find alluring about patents