Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
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Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
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Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#2Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#3Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
But who would that "someone" be, and to what conditions? Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#4Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
But who would that "someone" be, and to what conditions? Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
> Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
No, but a community of volunteers might. ThreadX [0] is proof enough that an OSS community can keep a piece of software certified under strict security standards. I don't see why the same couldn't be achieved with software for medical devices.
[0] https://threadx.io/faq/#what-happens-with-the-existing-safet...
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#5Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
But who would that "someone" be, and to what conditions? Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
Maybe another company? It seems this company was badly ran with nice tech. But at least if open, we have a chance. If closed, nothing happens and things get lost.
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#6Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
But who would that "someone" be, and to what conditions? Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
Public trustee. That’s how it works with other assets, like apartment buildings with people living in them. Often public trustees will outsource the management & disposal of these assets. Hopefully for the people depending on the assets, “disposal” means “sale to a new owner.”
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#7Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#8Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
But who would that "someone" be, and to what conditions? Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
I wouldn't necessarily have any expectations - the point of FOSS is to have those options at all.
What do you think might be done to avoid this sort of thing?
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#9Corporations exist solely to create shareholder value on a quarterly basis.
If it's more profitable to go bankrupt and screw their test subjects, they will not hesitate - it is legally required they do so.
Re: Their bionic eyes are now obsolete and unsupported (2022)
#10Companies going bust should have their IP (code, design, patents etc) transferred to FOSS licenses automatically; at least here going bust is a strain on the tax payer, so give it back to the tax payer. Then someone else can pick this up and potentially fix these devices. Or at the least it’s good for the world to have the tech open to be studied.
But who would that "someone" be, and to what conditions? Or do you expect the people in the article to just write the drivers for their own implants themselves?
Anyone under whichever conditions they choose.
We, society, grant temporary monopolies in the form of copyright/patents "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts". They do not intend to further use that monopoly, so they lose it.