On: Why Portland's Public Toilets Succeeded Where Othe...

[kwhitefoot]

> The toilet has the dubious honor of being the city of Portland’s first patent.

Why 'dubious'?

This attitude is part the problem that public conveniences suffer under.

Surely it is glorious that Portland's first patent should be something so patently useful to the people.

[sverhagen → kwhitefoot]

> Why 'dubious'?

Because patents are often criticized, both specific ones as the whole concept of patents?

[boon → kwhitefoot]

I am legitimately curious how a government entity can get a patent. Shouldn't anything funded with tax dollars automatically get put into the public domain?