Posted by Lurker (69.11.192.132) on July 22, 2003 at 20:46:15:
In Reply to: Re: Rules for Unconventional Research posted by MrTim on July 18, 2003 at 22:05:46:
: In the words of Maddox: "It doesn't matter how much you give, there will always be greedy bastards out to take more."
: Bessler asked for a modest payment up front, knowing damn well he wouldn't have gotten a pfennig if he'd given the secret away beforehand.
: If you think the world is going to reward you for being so generous, you are being naive.
: Ever Cynical,
: MrTim
It may be true that Bessler would not have gotten any money for his invention if he had given it away. However, the point is that he did not get anything for it anyway by keeping it secret. What Bessler whould have gotten if he had given his secret away would be recognition as the discoverer of Perpetual Motion, and a MUCH better world for mim and his children to live in. I would have to say that while monetary compensation is a good thing, it is not nearly as good a thing as making the world a better place for yourself and your loved ones.
In any case, Bessler accomplished nothing by keeping his secret, and now Bessler is only a very small footnote in the history books, assuming that he is mentioned at all. Only people like John Collins keep his name alive. The vast majority of people now alive have never heard his name. Of those who HAVE heard of Bessler, most think is he was just one of a large number of other "crackpots" at the time who had nothing better to do than waste their time trying to do the impossible, like changing lead into gold. Bessler may have been a genius, but he certainly wasn't someone to admire or emulate.
Lurker.