IPO (Patent Office, as was)
IPO = Intellectual Property Office, a UK government agency.

I've spent much of this morning trying desperately hard to log a new invention with them to obtain some form of initial protection. I've now got it but not without ringing someone in deepest Wales and threatening to do unspeakables to them. Grrr.

Here's a question for you all: if you had an invention that could seriously improve (by simplification and providing protection) the lives of people with a specific condition (in this one, diabetes), would you give it away as freeware or would you sell it to the highest bidder? My view of the world is to give it away because:

(a) very good for the soul
(b) no idea who I'd sell it to
(c) I want to, and I can
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:51, 10 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Sell it to the highest bidder.
But on a manufacturing-contract.
So they'd have to renew it regularly, and would net me more cash in the long run.

Morally, if I'd invented something that'd help people, I'd feel I deserved some cold hard cash out of it.
( Cawl, Fri 8 May 2009, 11:53, Reply)

Give it away.
Inventing things should be to make people's lives easier in my opinion - so I'd give it out as Freeware.
(Poppet some assembly required., Fri 8 May 2009, 11:54, Reply)

Sell it
Sell it. Ask for a percentage of profits (no idea if this is possible but ask anyway)

If it's good, people will be it. If it's sold by a big company, more people will see it, more will buy it and more will benefit, thus appealing to your fluffy side :)
( SeasonTicketless is too often the statue, and rarely the pigeon., Fri 8 May 2009, 12:06, Reply)

Sell it to...
...the most ethical bidder. Win Win Win.

They get a good product, you get karma and cash and the sickos get the help they need.
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:06, Reply)

Depends on my circumstances.
If hard up, as I am now, I'd sell it to a company that would make it safely and well, but not neccessarily to the highest bidder. You've also got more chance of getting it on the market and helping people that way as the company that's invested money in it will want to market it and get their cash back, as opposed to someone who got it for free and can't see the point in marketing it much.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:07, Reply)

if you try and give it away
some company will take it and figure out some way to make it slightly better then sell it.

having a company behind you to sell it gives more advantages than initial cash
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:16, Reply)

Get an International Patent
don't be a fool.

Sell it. Sanofi-Aventis is a good diabetes related pharma company.

If you want ethical, go to GSK.
(Himjim died a little more inside on, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:19, Reply)

Sell it to the highest bidder.
Then donate some of your money to charity.
( girlinthehole, Fri 8 May 2009, 12:50, Reply)

Listen to the blouse lady
A sensible compromise.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Fri 8 May 2009, 13:01, Reply)

Be careful
If it's the kind of thing which will replace currently available but expensive medicine/aids then make sure that if you sell it, the people who buy it don't just want to intellectual rights to it so they can prevent people from making it.

I say protect yourself as much as possible, give it away for free but with some mechanism for people to donate money to you should they feel like it.
(Shippy likes linebreaks and doesn't care what you think, Fri 8 May 2009, 13:37, Reply)