I have a problem

[tmullanejr]

I have noticed that members are posting "FREE PATTERNS"... patterns that they might have purchased and are offering to the general membership.
This is wrong.. it is copywrite infringement . Just because you have purchased a pattern you do not have the right to give it to anybody....
Purchasing a pattern or buying a pattern book or magazine only gives you the right to use the pattern within the limitations set my the designer or publisher, it does not give you the right to distribute the pattern freely
Giving away patterns is taking the money out of the hands of the pattern designer and is immoral and illegal. Most pattern designers have no problem with someone using their work to make projects for resale.
If the administrators of this forum will not take action on this matter, I will make it a point to see that any of the woodworkers in the forums I am a member of be made aware of your lack of cooperation and support of pattern designers.

[Admin]

You are correct, any pattern that is not your original design or you do not own the rights to cannot be shared on this forum. If you know of any infringement of this policy please let us know and we will remove the post.

[randys_woods]

The few patterns I have posted in ehre were public domain patterns I downloaded from another site. The were free to me, so they are free to anyone who wants to use them. I was just doing people a favior. I was not up loading any patterns that I have purchased. Only patterns that I got from public domain. No copy write laws are broken.
Randy

[tmullanejr]

Just because the other site has them does not mean they are "public domain"... there are a lot of sites out there posting patterns they have no right too.... unless you have personally been given permission by the pattern develper you do not have the right to post a pattern you did not create yourself.
The fact that a pattern is on another site does not mean it is "public domain". The pattern develper may (or may not) have given the site permission to show his pattern.... that does not mean you can just take it and give it away.
Tom

[dwight]

To repeat what Tom said in his original post: when someone buys a plan they buy the right to use it, not resell it or give it away. And this usually still applies if you make minor changes to the plan. We make a lot of things for sale that we have designed by adapting Pat Spielman or John Nelson plans that we purchased either individually or via their books. Even with the changes we have made we have no right to sell or give away our versions of the plans because they were not changed enough to substantially alter the original.

[randys_woods]

Relax guys.
I have removed all patterns I have posted. I further more will not share any patterns I have created myself or patterns I have gotten from public domain. The grey area is too thin to try to waist my time on figuring out.
If I see a pattern in a magizine I buy. Do I have the right to create the design, and sell them at craft fairs? I see this all the time. Do those people go and get permission from the designer (If they can be found) before they can "Legally" sell them? I see this all the time. Where does this differ from sharing patterns?
Internet and copywite laws clash too much to keep track. Too bad their isnt a Napster for patterns. lol
Just kidding.
Randy Anderson

[tmullanejr]

Randy,
Depending on the magazine's or book's policy, you generally have the right to cut the pattern and sell it on the craft circuit. To date I know of only one instance where a pattern book was written and the designer actually said his patterns were only for personal use only and could not be cut for sale.... and I believe he has since changed his stance...
You can generally conclude that if a pattern is published, you can cut it and sell them on the craft circuit.... if you want to be absolutely sure just look at the rights areas of the magazine or email them for confirmation... they will get back to you. This differs from patterns in that you are selling finished work you created from a pattern (just like a dress someone makes) instead of giving away the original pattern design
Tom

[randys_woods]

Thanks for the clearification on this.
randy Anderson

[TheWoodWizard]

Actually,I don't remember anyone posting actual patterns of anything,only links to sites which have patterns available.As far as I'm concerned,this is NOT an infringement to anyones pattern rights,unless of course that particular site is infringing,in which case,the owners of the plans should go after the sites themselves,and not the little guys who are merely trying to offer a little help to fellow woodworkers.
Yes,I do agree,that if you purchase a plan,then you and only you have the right to use it.But none of the links to any plans posted were purchased,they are posted on the web,free,for all to see.
Putting a sort of ban on posting any pattern links which are readily available on the web,is actually trying to take away our personal freedom on the internet,granted there are a few things banned on the internet which I do agree with,like child pornography,I do not believe anyone has the right to say what links, which are already posted somewhere on the internet for free,can and cannot be reposted,unless it is stipulated on that particular site itself.
Remember this is the USA ,not some dictatorship or communist country,We have our rights also.

[tmullanejr]

No one ever said anything about banning the posting of links to sites that offer free patterns.....
You obviously joined after the patterns were removed from the site....
Unless you know all about the topic you are responding too please do not assume that we are banning anything that is legal.
Yes this is America and I fought to keep our freedoms like a lot of others did.... but that freedom does not include taking copywritten matterials and posting them for all to use without the expressed permission of the originator of the material.
As was stated in a previous post in this discussion, just because the piece is on a free site does not make it public domain... if you are told that the piece is being stolen by the site you have the responsibility and moral obligation not to give the pattern to anyone else.
Before you go off spouting that your civil rights and liberties have been abused, I suggest that you read this thread in it's entirety again and see what has transpired.No one ever said anything about banning the posting of links to sites that offer free patterns..... :rolleyes:

[TheWoodWizard]

You must be right,but I did read all of the posts,and I saw nothing wrong,evidently the infringed upon plans were removed,prior to my joining this forum.If you thought that by increasing the font size,it would make my opinion smaller,think again.

Don't get so Hyper,life is too short to get aggravated by trivial things.

[Admin]

This issue has been resolved earlier and was simply misunderstood by a new user.

TheWoodWizard made some good points in his post and obviously Tom has an emotional attachment to it :) Points are made, issue is resolved, end of discussion - I'll close this post.

As a matter of board ettiquette:

Please only use large fonts / all caps / bold, etc. to emphasize a single point. An entire post like that appears the writer is yelling. Also, posts that degrade other individuals are not welcome. We want more people feeling free to express their ideas, questions and opinions - not be turned off by flaming...

Thanks - and have a great day woodworking...