Assuming Google needs to diversify away from the ad revenue stream as quickly as possible, Google Fibre offers them a predictable and valuable long term revenue stream.
It may have started as an experiment, but I can see a long term, huge disruption to the telecoms business.
What stops somebody from filling one of the slots and doing nothing?
A better scheme is to have some sort of referral scheme and give a free slot for every 3 tickets sold or simply reduce the price of tickets by a 3rd and if you are going to give something away, a backstage pass or drink in a bar with the musician is probably a far better incentive for a real fan.
The current system for IP is holding back progress. The big problem is that there is no 'cost' to maintaining a patent once given. I think the internet has already given us the solution with the way we deal with domain names.
So you can submit your patent, you have 5 years exclusive use (and even that seeems a bit long). At this time you can purchase a 1 year extension to your 'patent' (at a cost of say $500) to a maximum of 10 years. I am not sure if, as part of the extension, you need to demonstrate the patent is part of a product you are selling.
There must also be a process to allow somebody to raise an objection to a patent renewal based on non-implementation.
A similar approach could be taken to copyright.
There is no ongoing cost to maintaining IP.
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Long term investment
Assuming Google needs to diversify away from the ad revenue stream as quickly as possible, Google Fibre offers them a predictable and valuable long term revenue stream.
It may have started as an experiment, but I can see a long term, huge disruption to the telecoms business.
This works if the first 40 'deserve' the slot
What stops somebody from filling one of the slots and doing nothing?
A better scheme is to have some sort of referral scheme and give a free slot for every 3 tickets sold or simply reduce the price of tickets by a 3rd and if you are going to give something away, a backstage pass or drink in a bar with the musician is probably a far better incentive for a real fan.
The change needed is relatively simple...
The current system for IP is holding back progress. The big problem is that there is no 'cost' to maintaining a patent once given. I think the internet has already given us the solution with the way we deal with domain names.
So you can submit your patent, you have 5 years exclusive use (and even that seeems a bit long). At this time you can purchase a 1 year extension to your 'patent' (at a cost of say $500) to a maximum of 10 years. I am not sure if, as part of the extension, you need to demonstrate the patent is part of a product you are selling.
There must also be a process to allow somebody to raise an objection to a patent renewal based on non-implementation.
A similar approach could be taken to copyright.
There is no ongoing cost to maintaining IP.