I often interact with people who insist on avoiding reinventing the wheel, yet there have been plenty of innovations in the course of human existence that we can just as purposefully avoid reinventing. I would like to hear of someone avoiding reinventing the steam engine or sliced bread or the printing press. We can also avoid reinventing light switches and vulcanized rubber. We do not need to reinvent the screw, the fulcrum, or the pulley. Clockwork does not need to be reinvented. The telephone does not need to be reinvented. All these wonderful inventions, but we have been woefully persistent in not reinventing the wheel. I will grant that the wheel was a pretty wonderful achievement of humanity, but I believe we have avoided reinventing it enough. Please, let the wheel rest and avoid reinventing pasteurization or democracy or the Gregorian calendar.
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But the wheel has been re-inveted in away many times. The wheel used to be wooden, and now it is made of steel or some other metal with rubber on it to allow for suspension.
Zoreo – I don’t think that reinvented the wheel. The basic principle of the wheel is the same; a suspension system for the wheel is the invention in your scenario. Finding better materials to do the same job is improving on an idea, not inventing something new.
Sorry, I just figured that if it would require a new patent it could be considered a new invention, based on the patent principle. I am also truly sorry for using the word “away” when I meant “a way”. That was an honest typo.