Daily Kos: Research, New Technology, Public Access & Share In Benefits

"Cory Doctorow is an author and journalist who advocates changing copyright laws, using Creative Commons licensing and "digital rights".  In an article in the UK newspaper Guardian, he discussed the question of public access to research studies done by pharmaceutical companies [read article, or download his podcast & listen to it]. Doctorow explains that freely available research data is economically desirable ... So, there's certain kinds of research and background information that has compelling reasons for public access free of charge.  Let's go back to the question of government funded research.  The Scientific American website recently republished a Nature magazine article about the Obama Administration's Advanced-Manufacturing Innovation Institutes.  The federal government is planning to invest significant amounts of money into efforts to develop particular technologies which are believed can revitalize US manufacturing industries.  Public colleges will also play a part in the project.  And private companies will be involved.  We've already heard the argument that if the government subsidizes research, the research information should be available to the public.  As a financial partner in the venture, the federal government should require an agreement project partners can share the information with whomever they choose - and the federal government can share it with the public at large.  It might be said the citizens are the owners of the government, so the government is just sharing the information iwth its owners.  As Doctorow explained, that is actually good for the economy.  But is that all the public should get out of its investment?  Perhaps, the first question should be: Will the results of the research be patented?  If so, why should only one of the partners (a company) have patent rights?  If the government has patent rights, it need not pay whatever exorbitant price is demanded by a company - when the government helped develop the technology ..."