Edison’s Motion Picture Patent Enforcement

Merlin Mann:

You a big fan of aggressive IP enforcement? Like to think a well-litigated market is a healthy market? Hate those little entrepreneurial nuisances like “competition from emerging media?”

Well, then, you would have loved the early 20th century. Because you had to get Thomas Edison’s permission to make any movie. Then you had to pay him.

Also via Merlin, check out the license agreement on this 1908 Edison wax cylinder. (Gorgeous type, though.)

★ Thursday, 11 March 2010