<div dir="ltr">Something we tend to ignore in stories like this is that perhaps because the technology was not patented it allowed it to spread further and faster than it might have otherwise. </div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">On Mon, 29 Oct 2018 at 21:54, Patrick A. M. Maina via kictanet <<a href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">This amazing article includes "everyday" products/technologies you have probably used recently e.g. Bic biro pen, Segway, Computer Mouse, Polio Vaccine, Fidget Spinner, Karaoke Machine and WWW (hypertext). Can you imagine the inventors got a raw deal? In most cases other people profited from the inventor's brilliance due to failure to protect their IP.</div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">Some fascinating takeaways:</div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">That <b>magnetic stripe </b>on your debit/credit card: apparently the inventor didn't realize its value and failed to patent the idea. A multi-billion (if not trillion) dollar oversight. <br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">Sometimes you just don't know the real potential of your idea/creation and this can lead to disastrous decisions. Especially when a bunch of people in flashy suits tell you that "ideas are worth nothing" - yet they want to meet you in their posh office for hours to hear your ideas. Others hold elaborate competitions with pomp and prestige; offering you a chance to be a celebrity. But hold on, time is money; why would someone spend precious time listening to (or evaluating) "worthless" stuff? Perhaps its not as worthless as they want you to think...?</div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">Inventor of <b>LED (light emitting diodes)</b> was way ahead of his time and, though he foresaw a future with LEDs, he didn't take smart steps to ensure that he was part of that future. Now LED bulbs are a billion dollar industry - and he doesn't get even 1 cent in royalty. <br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">Just because people don't "get it" immediately doesn't mean your idea is worthless. You could be ahead of the curve and the market just needs time to catch up (which can be months or years or even decades). Only <b>strategic patience</b> (long term thinking) can keep you grounded and ready for opportunity when it finally knocks. If you must, shelve your "failed" idea for another day, and work on others, but *never* *ever* give it away! </div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">The</span><b style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"> Bic biro pen</b><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"> inventor sold his patent for US$2Million, which turned out to be "peanuts" because more than </span><b style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">1 Trillion</b><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"> Bic pens have been sold to date. Due to </span><b style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">information asymmetry</b><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">, that sweet buy-out deal might not be a fair valuation. Resist the 100% offer. Keep a small percentage to get royalties in perpetuity.</span></span><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">You cant lose what you never had. Protect your ideas and push back (or walk away) when offered tempting, but strategically lousy, short term deals.</div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px">Here's the article:</div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpdec5c4b5yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:"times new roman","new york",times,serif;font-size:16px"><a href="https://www.pcmag.com/feature/353795/10-inventors-who-made-no-money-on-their-inventions" rel="nofollow" class="m_2779762142185051040enhancr_card_1032131543" target="_blank">10 Inventors Who Made No Money on Their Inventions</a><br></div><div><br></div><div id="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752enhancr_card_1032131543" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-link-enhancr-card m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752ymail-preserve-class m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752ymail-preserve-style" style="max-width:400px;font-family:"Helvetica Neue","Segoe UI",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://www.pcmag.com/feature/353795/10-inventors-who-made-no-money-on-their-inventions" style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(0,0,0)" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-enhancr-cardlink" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><table border="0" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-wrapper m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="max-width:400px"><tbody><tr><td width="400"><table border="0" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width:400px;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(224,228,233);border-radius:2px"><tbody><tr><td class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-primary-image-cell" bgcolor="#000000" valign="top" height="175" style="background-color:rgb(0,0,0);background-size:cover;border-radius:2px 2px 0px 0px;min-height:175px"><table border="0" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-overlay-container-table m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%"><tbody><tr><td class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-overlay-cell" bgcolor="transparent" valign="top" style="background-color:transparent;border-radius:2px 2px 0px 0px;min-height:175px"><table border="0" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-ignore-table" height="175" style="width:100%;min-height:175px"><tbody><tr><td class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-richInfo2" style="text-align:left;padding:15px 0px 0px 15px;vertical-align:top"></td><td class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-actions" style="text-align:right;padding:15px 15px 0px 0px;vertical-align:top"><div class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-share-container"></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td><table border="0" align="center" class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-info m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752yahoo-ignore-table" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:rgb(255,255,255);width:100%;max-width:400px;border-radius:0px 0px 2px 2px;border-top:1px solid rgb(224,228,233)"><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);padding:16px 0px 16px 12px;vertical-align:top;border-radius:0px 0px 0px 2px"></td><td style="vertical-align:middle;padding:12px 24px 16px 12px;width:99%;font-family:"Helvetica Neue","Segoe UI",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;border-radius:0px 0px 2px"><h2 class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-title" style="font-size:14px;line-height:19px;margin:0px 0px 6px;font-family:"Helvetica Neue","Segoe UI",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(38,40,42)">10 Inventors Who Made No Money on Their Inventions</h2><p class="m_2779762142185051040ydpb00e5752card-description" style="font-size:12px;line-height:16px;margin:0px;color:rgb(151,155,167)">Meet 10 people who had the spark of genius but weren't able to translate it into a fat wallet.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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</blockquote></div><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-size:12.8px"><font size="2">Regards,</font></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><span style="font-size:small">Sidney</span><br></div><div style="font-size:12.8px"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:11px;color:rgb(51,61,71)"><tbody><tr><td height="20" valign="middle"><font size="2"><strong><br>Twitter:</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/princelySid" target="_blank">@princelySid</a> | <b>Web: </b><a href="http://sidneyochieng.co.ke/" target="_blank">sidneyochieng.co.ke</a><br><b>Skype: </b>sidney.ochieng | <b>Github:</b> <a href="https://github.com/princelySid" target="_blank">princelySid</a></font><br></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>