public domain?

[jbn at wdl1.UUCP]

      You can reach a long way with the right licensing agreement.  Howard
Hughes, Sr (the father of the one who died recently) came up with the 
ultimate to date in this direction; he acquired the rights to the only 
really good drill bit for drilling oil wells, and leased out drill  bits
refusing to sell them outright.  The lease called for a charge dependent on
the production of the oil well, and it was a non-trivial percentage.  
Hughes Tool was built on that basis.