[RWebb]

The difference is technological innovation. The product delivered by computer/electronics firms has advanced at a tremendous rate in just a few years.

The product delivered by the oil co.s is nearly static (yeh, there are better additives now).


The other issue not noted above is that oil exploration is an extremely high risk venture. Should they get something for that?

Drug co.s also face extremely high risks. Of course, they also get to use a huge amount of tax payer funded research - conducted in our universities and at NIH, etc.