Fwd: [thingiverse] dmcs and thingiverse

[Bryan Bishop]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: rbisping <wizzm...@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 1:39 AM
Subject: [thingiverse] dmcs and thingiverse
To: thingiverse <thing...@googlegroups.com>


I just got done reading the various blog posts on the recent dmca
takedown of two objects on thingiverse and figured i would check here
to see if there was already a thread on the topic and if not start
one.

I have seen some of the comments to the blog that were rather critical
of thingiverse and makerbot for complying with the takedown. both
thingiverse and makerbot acted correctly even if the claim were false.
this doesnt make the dmcs correct but that is how the law and the
world works.

it is reasonably apparent that this claim is false but either way the
proper procedure has to be followed.  As a side note this gives good
indication that mirrors of thingiverse need to be established in non
crazy countries so that situations like this that happen in the future
dont remove perfectly legal and important objects from circulation.

another subject that tends to get overlooked by our community is the
distiction between a object and copyright. the copyright only applies
to the files that discribe the object and not the object its self.
thankfuly there is still a distiction between copyright and patent.
since copyright lasts for life of the author plus I beleive 90 years,
and patent only last for a very limited duration (15-20y depending).
for a number of years now buisness and industry has been trying to
apply copyright protection to patend only situations, thankfuly all
these attempts have been thwarted. I seriously hope that we open
source advocates do not give more strength to these attempts. It would
be a crushing blow to any kind of advancement. It would in many ways
push humanity back to the days of trade secrets and guild rule.

I may have more to spout about later but this is a discussion that
does need to take place.


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- Bryan
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