[Aliantha]

Or maybe unlimited protection would encourage even greater innovation. People would have to find an even better way of doing things, which generally seems to be the case anyway.

I don't really know what is best morally. From here, I think there's a good argument for both sides. I definitely can see your point though, but on the other hand, I don't think other people should be able to profit from someone else's idea just because they're dead or a specified period of time has elapsed.