Are counting systems intellectual property?

[SPX]

Just wondering. I mean, Hi-Lo is taught in several books. Is this because it's been around so long that it's now in the public domain so to speak, or can counting systems not be copyrighted?

For instance, you don't really see KO fully explained in any books. So if you want to learn Hi-Lo then pick up any number of texts on the subject but if you want to learn KO then you need to purchase the KO book.

Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe other books do teach KO but I haven't seen them.

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by SPX

Just wondering. I mean, Hi-Lo is taught in several books. Is this because it's been around so long that it's now in the public domain so to speak, or can counting systems not be copyrighted?

For instance, you don't really see KO fully explained in any books. So if you want to learn Hi-Lo then pick up any number of texts on the subject but if you want to learn KO then you need to purchase the KO book.

Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe other books do teach KO but I haven't seen them.

Tag values cannot be copyrighted, therefore new sim or algebra calc'd indices are not protected either. zg

[moo321]

You might be able to copyright a count. But there's major dispute over who even invented hi-lo, and Thorpe wouldn't care enough to copyright it.