Comments on: Patently Obvious. http://www.loudmouthman.com/2007/06/13/patently-obvious/ Social Networker and Opinioneer Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:43:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Robin Munn http://www.loudmouthman.com/2007/06/13/patently-obvious/#comment-4137 Robin Munn Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:34:30 +0000 http://www.loudmouthman.com/2007/06/13/patently-obvious/#comment-4137 On the subject of genetic code and copyrights: Things like guitar tabs and lyrics are copyrighted because they represent the work of their author, and the principle is that the author should receive some compensation for their work. How much work did you, personally, invest in the composition of your own DNA? :-) The relevant principle with genetic code should be, not copyright, but the same principle as other information <i>about</i> a person: address, medical history, and so on. Some of it (medical info) is much better protected than other info (address, etc.), and genetic code should IMHO have similar levels of protection as medical info. But the principles of copyright just don't apply here. On the subject of genetic code and copyrights:

Things like guitar tabs and lyrics are copyrighted because they represent the work of their author, and the principle is that the author should receive some compensation for their work.

How much work did you, personally, invest in the composition of your own DNA? :-)

The relevant principle with genetic code should be, not copyright, but the same principle as other information about a person: address, medical history, and so on. Some of it (medical info) is much better protected than other info (address, etc.), and genetic code should IMHO have similar levels of protection as medical info. But the principles of copyright just don’t apply here.

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