People made stuff before patents existed.
People also didn’t make stuff before patents existed.
Knowing how someone else makes something doesn’t mean you can make it as well as the other person.
No, but often you can. You also don’t have to, you just have to make it cheaper, which you can because you are benefitting from the investment from someone else.
Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 6 days ago
That was fine before mass production made perfect copies possible on an industrial scale.
You don’t need the person when you can copy the object and produce it at volume and scale because you already own the factories.
spankmonkey@lemmy.world 6 days ago
Mass production copies are far from perfect. Like the dollar store version of anything is shit tier even if it looks the same. I’m not talking snobby high end or anything, just well made vs trash tier.
Hell, most of the goods we buy are made by a factory contracted with the person who designed and distributes the materials. That was true before we moved manufacturing overseas too. Cars were one of the few factories that were owned and operated by the companies that design and distribute the goods.
Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 6 days ago
Mass production started long before cars. The industrial revolution began in the 17th century. Interchangeable parts was invented by Eli Whitney. He showed a flint lock that could be assembled by anyone, instead of a skilled metal worker that needed to customize each part so they fit together perfectly.
study.com/…/eli-whitney-interchangeable-parts-ove….
Outside of art, machine made parts are far more perfect than hand crafted.