Idea Wars

by Ed Yourdon

I'm a sucker for buzzwords, so I couldn't help noticing an article in last week's New York Times that introduced the catchy phrase "idea wars" (Amy Harmon, "Suddenly, 'Idea Wars' Take on a New Global Urgency," 11 November 2001). In plain English, the article described the growing battles and controversies associated with patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and other forms of "intellectual property" (IP).