The computer
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The computer has developed over the past fifty years or so first slowly and then with great rapidity as new developments signaled changes in structure and operation. Computers have been made smaller and more powerful until many people have on their desk at home a computer more powerful than the largest mainframe of the 1950s. These advances have been made by a number of new and developing companies, notably those in the so-called Silicon Valley near San Francisco. These companies are in fierce competition for new designs, more powerful hardware, more versatile computer chips, and more inventive software. The underlying principles of computers are well understood, and every computer thus shares certain characteristics. Different companies develop different advantages, however, in terms of the specific design of their components and other features developed through extensive and costly research and development. Computers are relatively new and involve a number of features making them and their software difficult to protect from encroachments by other manufacturers and designers. Computer companies have had to develop a number of legal and corporate strategies to protect their discoveries, and the legislation and case law are still developing in this area. The period from 1970 to the present is referred to as the fourth generation of computing, the period dominated by the microchip on which can be placed over 15,000 circuit elements. In 1971, Intel Corpo
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ppropriated IBM trade secrets. They also accused Seagate of engaging in a pattern of targeting and soliciting key IBM employees as a way of raiding IBM trade secrets. IBM in fact charged that many of its former employees who now work for Seagate had disclosed certain important and secret information (Khermouch, 1992, p. 1). In 1992 at a gathering of computer developers, IBM announced that its new Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking protocol would be protected by at least eight different patents. This meant that software developers wanting to produce software for this new system would have to pay IBM for the right to do so. IBM had not yet priced the license, but the company said it would be low enough to encourage developers to create the programs that would be needed while also allowing IBM a proper return on its investment. Those at the conference saw one question in how much IBM would enforce its patents, which actually applied to more than simply the architecture of this one system (Horwill, 1992, p. 16).
The degree to which IBM can benefit from enforcing its patents can be seen in the relationship between Dell and IBM. Two percent of the purchase price of a Dell computer goes to IBM because of the latter's licensing fees
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Copyright Act, COMPUTER COMPANIES, Microsoft's Windows, Micro Devices, San Francisco, Dell IBM, Silicon Valley, ESSENCE Computer, Texas Instruments, Seagate Technology, copyright law, trade secret, copyright protection, patent law, patent protection, computer technology, trade secret law, secret law, advanced micro, computer programs, micro devices, advanced micro devices, relationship copyright law, ibm trade secrets, copyright law patent,
Approximate Word count = 3395
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)
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