Re: Imitation vs. Assimilation (was RE: What a predicament!)

[Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

"Earl Cooley" wrote...

> I've always heard that when large megacorps see a 
> worthy technology in the wild, when possible, they 
> buy the company, and either assimilate it or crush 
> it to avoid having to compete with it. Imitation 
> costs people points; crush or assimilate is mostly 
> just money points.

Its the way of the jungle, man. Eat or be eaten. 

Whatever the case, there is nothing wrong (or illegal) with imitation. Lots of
firms imitate competitors. Sometimes imitation is more profitable than
innovation.

Imitating somebody else's work is normal and legal. Outrightly ripping them off
and passing them off as your own is what's illegal. 

Andrew Plato 

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