There are two camps when it comes to protecting intellectual property: cagey/secret, and open/forthright.
Most companies producing technological equipment fall into the first camp, cagey/secret. They dance around their consumer offerings, extolling the advantages of unexplained mystery technology. They never reveal their magician's tricks.
Then there's the few who do their best to be open and forthright. These are the technical innovators openly sharing discoveries and proprietary process so that when they tout the benefit of their miracles, people can more easily make informed judgments on the IP's merits. Their magician's tricks are always revealed after each performance.
We've always been party to the second group, open and forthright. No, we don't always give recipes and step-by-step instructions on how to copy what we've worked hard to achieve, but enough information that others can choose to follow if they wish.
I have never understood the need for secrecy.
Perhaps I was never a good magician's apprentice.
