graeme_p - 9:47 am on Oct 1, 2010 (gmt 0)

If Fred invents an algorithm to say compress video 100 times more than existing systems - thats a very cliever 'created' idea and Fred should be allowed to licence the idea (it might have been his lifes work)

Why should?

1) Its fair to reward people who do good stuff, or,
2) Its in the public interest to do so (by giving Fred an incentive to do more).

Its pretty clear that 2) is wrong. As for 1): lots of people do good stuff without being rewarded, and no one forced Fred to spend his time inventing stuff.