Why did John von Neumann’s computer-design publications create conflict with J. Presper Eckert, Jr., and John W. Mauchly?

John von Neumann’s publications on computer design between 1945 and 1951 created conflict with J. Presper Eckert, Jr. and John W. Mauchly primarily because the latter two sought to patent their technological contributions.1

While von Neumann contributed significant ideas to the ENIAC computer—which Eckert and Mauchly had designed—his subsequent publications, such as the "First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC" and the "Preliminary Discussion of the Logical Design of an Electronic Computing Instrument," disseminated key design principles to the public. These publications, which helped establish the architecture of the von Neumann machine, facilitated the independent construction of similar computers worldwide. This open sharing of information directly challenged Eckert and Mauchly’s efforts to secure intellectual property rights for their work.123