[License-discuss] Questions Regarding Open Source Hardware Licenses

[Russell Nelson]

On 3/4/20 2:30 PM, Michael Bretti wrote:
> 4. How can open source innovation be protected? Especially in my case 
> were I am working on very high-tech systems in a highly competitive, 
> and normally very secretive and non-transparent field, how can I make 
> sure that I get credit, or protect myself from others patenting my 
> designs, and ultimately using them against me, or worst case, 
> completely legally locking me out of working on them myself?

Publish, publish, publish. The better-known your innovation becomes, the 
harder it is for someone to take credit from you or patent your design.

Basically, be successful. That works for two reasons. First, that's what 
you want to do. Second, the more successful you are, the less likely it 
will be that someone will try to steal your ideas. They'll think they 
can do better than you. They'll view your ideas as a challenge to them, 
and they will be unwilling to use your ideas. Lastly, if your idea is 
*really* good, you'll have to push it on people.