The Right Attitude

Wil Shipley talking about how the iPad iBooks app design is a copy of Delicious Library:

Although Delicious Library was the first to do it, we didn't try to copyright the idea of wooden shelves, or of showing books photo-realistically...

Not that you can copyright ideas in the first place. :-) But I like the overall attitude he goes on to reveal in what he says a bit later:

As a creator, part of what I seek is recognition, immortality. I don't work for Apple, or Google (I've been offered jobs & buyouts) because I want the fame myself. It's my shot at immortality. My designs are my children. So it stinks when I feel like Steve might get the fame for my innovation. I lose my children, as it were.

But your children aren't really yours. They have lives of their own. So when your designs do change the world, you have to accept it. You have to say, 'Ok, this was such a good idea, other people took it and ran with it. I win.

Full article at the Washington Post

Comments

[Numist]

Wil Shipley*

(damnit TypePad, my name isn't supposed to be capitalized)

[Andrew]

You talk about the silliness of copywriting ideas often. Have you read Against Intellectual Monopoly, by chance?

http://levine.sscnet.ucla.edu/general/intellectual/againstfinal.htm

Great book. Changed my perspective for sure.

[Nate Goebel]

Delicious Library looks wicked cool.....wish I had a webcam so I could try it out....

[lånekalkulator]

It does actually look cool, going o try when I get home :)