intellectual-property internet ownership
&quot;Personal ideas&quot; website: using contributions from readers freely
<p>Let's say I'm thinking about an unsolved mathematical problem for a hobby and I draw some conclusions of my own. I'd like to make these ideas public, allow anyone to use them absolutely freely (even without mentioning me) and maintain these ideas on my blog/notes website.</p>
<p>Now let's say a reader leaves a comment and contributes with something <em>extra</em>, advancing the quest to solving the unsolved mathematical problem. Maybe he/she improved an idea I already posted. I want to then continue with my hobby free to use ideas that my readers are posting, meaning, make it clear that I don't owe them anything as I use their ideas, it is therefore their responsibility if they choose to post something under this condition. I don't want to get to be in a situation where someone demands something from me because 'they came up with it'. Once some mathematical result R is communicated from person A to person B, B cannot simply &quot;undo&quot; this exchange even if he wants to. He cannot simply pretend he &quot;doesn't know&quot; R.</p>
<p>How could I approach this? Is it enough to mention my conditions on my website? Would I be legally bound to anything in such a situation or is this actually a non-problem and I'm overthinking it?</p>

<p>It is a non-problem legally. Mathematical proofs are not patentable and only a specific representation might be copyrightable. The ideas are not copyrightable. The only issue is academic recognition and glory. Unless you are going for a Millennium Prize I would not worry.</p>
