BOOK OF ANTIQUE AND UNUSUAL WRENCHES BY SCHULZ'S

[Chillylulu]

I'd agree, but I had read about it when studying it for some of my work.  I don't remember the reason why it wasn't good idea. Your guy stamping right on the document might be different.

The truth of it is, even if you publish an idea first it can be proven it came from someone else who had it earlier.  Most of don't have the resources to fight a big corporation.

Even worse can be some of the manuscripts we are talking about.  Reference material can sometimes be collected from other sources. Who owns the copyright, the writer or the catalog owner where he found the manufacturer or date of a certain tool? There's a big difference between data in the public domain and first hand been there done that information. 

Personally, I respect the time it takes to bring all that data together.  Information is the new gold.

One of my younger brothers is a Lawyer.  Not that it helps much, he can't remember all the details of laws he learned years ago but doesn't practice.