Author Topic: Would it be beneficial for SpaceX to take suggestions from members of the public  (Read 16321 times)

Offline philw1776

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The discussion should not be about CAN armchair engineers make useful suggestions. The discussion should be how can you implement a cost effective filter to find the gem within the garbage. The signal to noise is just too low for being useful.

Yes.
And given that SpaceX's senior management has specifically asked for our help in spreading positive awareness of their corporate goal, we can now close this thread and move on to constructive topics.
FULL SEND!!!!

Online LouScheffer

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That's not how patents work.

If you disclosed it to them, then they can't PATENT it, but they can sure use it (unless it is already patented or filed for).

If you disclosed it in a public forum, then probably nobody else can patent it either.
That's how it's supposed to work but searches for prior art are not always reliable.   [...]

A suggestion made here can help SpaceX even if nobody in SpaceX ever reads it.  This is because some other company can patent the idea (their prior art search probably won't find it since they are not motivated to scour various forums, in fact quite the opposite).

Then when they complain to SpaceX that their patent is being used, SpaceX (which *is* motivated to do a good search at that point) can find it and point it out as prior art.   Then they explain to the accuser that they have found prior art, and if the accuser persists they will attempt to invalidate the patent.  Normally this causes the accuser to go away, since they don't want an expensive fight that risks their patent going poof.

I can state that the really happens without fear of Dunning-Kruger.  I was head of the patent commitee at a fairly large high tech company, and responded to accusations of patent infringment by scouring public sources for prior mentions of the same idea.



Offline envy887

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a) Almost everything in rocketry was predicted by science fiction writers. 

.. after being first invented by scientists / engineers.


If it was invented first, then it's hardly science fiction.

Offline speedevil

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These calls to even ban the possibility of lesser trained minds being able to make suggestions are haughty and arrogant. Issues around patents and liability are legitimate issues. But only a fool thinks he has nothing to learn from a less educated person.
Further on the value of 'suggestion boxes', at least internally, closer to SpaceX.

https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-tesla-interns-helped-model-3-production/
Quote
We came up with our own idea, and we actually sort of crashed the meeting with Elon himself and presented the idea. And, after speaking with him and one of his VPs, Doug Field, they essentially said ‘This is a good idea, but here’s the problem we are facing right now, so you guys go talk with us.’ And it snowballed from there,” he said.



Offline Rocket Science

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The discussion should not be about CAN armchair engineers make useful suggestions. The discussion should be how can you implement a cost effective filter to find the gem within the garbage. The signal to noise is just too low for being useful.
My "grid-fin" suggestion turned out to be a "gem" I guess IMHO... Now I still have all that other garbage to clean-up now... ;D
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

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