20070621

Chinese Relativity Axiom 2.0

To copy a painting really well, you need to be a good painter, versed in the art. Hence, most art copycats specialize in one artist. Margins are huge. Occasionally, you become very rich.

To copy a recent CD/DVD really well, all you need is a good PC, with a state-of-the-art ripper. To make a decent buck, you invest in mass-replication hardware. Margins as slim. Occasionally, you can make a decent living (in China, anyway).

To copy a freely available scientific publication, and put your own name to it, you just have to be stupid - I guess. It will not make you rich. It will make you infamous.

For those of you that have have some time and can access the full papers, just go ahead and compare

1. Optics Express
* http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?id=86218
2. Journal of Physics
* http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1742-6596/48/1/004


If not, just read the first and compare it to the abstract of the second. Notice anything? "Pu" indeed. So:

No matter how great your triumph or how tragic your defeat, there's a finite chance that one out of one billion Chinese will copy it without a second thought.

P.S. Meanwhile, the Institute of Physics has done the right thing (tm).

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