Workers must root out the idea that by keeping the results…
““Workers must root out the idea that by keeping the results of their labors to themselves a fortune will be assured to them. Patent fees are so much wasted money. The flying machine of the future will not be born fully fledged and capable of a flight for 1,000 miles or so. Like everything else it must be evolved gradually. The first difficulty is to get a thing that will fly at all. When this is made, a full description should be published as an aid to others. Excellence of design and workmanship will always defy competition. (1894)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Advocates open sharing of early flight designs to accelerate progress, warning against hoarding patents and emphasizing incremental development.
In simple terms: Sharing early designs speeds innovation.
Key Takeaway
Publish early prototypes to foster collective advancement.
Themes
innovation
collaboration
patents
Mood
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
historical
technical
When to use this quote
- early aviation research
- technology policy
- R&D collaboration
Key Concepts
open source
incremental development
Questions to Reflect On
- What incentives could encourage open sharing of inventions?
- How can societies balance profit and collective progress?
A Different Perspective
Commercial interests may resist open sharing.