Should builders share their circuits?

[R.G.]

If you'll forgive my very poor French, "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose".

[dano12]

I couldn't imagine coming up with something so totally different that it would be worth "protecting." I put schematics on my site for everything I build, even for the few things I've sold.

It's more fun to share.

[343 Salty Beans]

My 2 cents (although I've never built my own, entirely original circuit before...) is just to post it with the copyright 'c in a circle' thing. and refuse permission for it to be reposted on other sites. That way, if some web company jacks your design and starts to build it and make a lot of money, you have the right to take them to court for stealing your intellectual property.

[aron]

One more thing, please don't become one of those people that tease us with incomplete pics or constantly talk about their amazing schematic - never to post any info on it. This forum is not a place to generate BUZZ about your soon to be released pedal.

Good luck with your projects!

[R.G.]

That's a misreading of copyright. Publishing a schematic gives you NO ability to keep someone from building and selling the circuit in question. This has been beaten to death in this forum and other places.

Copyright infringement is a criminal offense, as well as having defined civil penalties. Patent protection provides only the ability to sue in civil court. Copyright protects the expression of an idea, (as in a picture, song, sculpture etc.) but not the underlying idea. Copyright protects the schematic seen as a painting or artwork, not the circuit.

[Mark Hammer]

If you'll forgive my very poor French, "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose".

Your French is forgiven.  Just for reference' sake, though it's:
"plus ça change, plus ça reste la même" (the more it changes the more it stays the same)

Hey, if I can't teach you anything about transformers, the least I can do is parlay my "parler".

And if I may be your mother for a moment, SEND STEVE D. A NOTE!  HE WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. 

[puretube]

a perfect example for copyright infringement can be found in
this recent thread, which links to a document in a different forum`s thread,
where that infringement occurs.

in that (foreign) thread,
the administrator of the forum would be the one to be legally responsible,
because the copyrighted document appears publicly on the web
as an attachment of his forum.
(as opposed of when it were a link to a pic on the poster`s own webspace...).

This is a nice example,
of a "forumite" posting something that could cause problems for the forum-owner.

Good thing, that D*nl*p isn`t that picky...

Actually,
the forum-administrator does have a "sticky" on top of the page,
where he asks his contributors not to post such contents.

actually,
the document includes a warning, too...

But, err... 

[oldrocker]

I don't know about you but I'm sure glad that some do share.  There are so many great circuits out there and many I've built already and many I didn't.  Even if you don't post it here there's a level of trust in this forum that's honorable as far as I've seen.  Just recently I read about the Highway 89 OD pedal that Doug H. used to have posted.  The layout I think is still out there but the schem I think has been removed.  That being said when I was reading about the Hwy89 Doug wrote saying he would share it if emailed directly.  Sure enough he sent me the schem and boy that thing REALLY ROCKS!!!!  Later some were writing in saying they wanted the schem too.  Everyone who responded wrote back and said you'll have to email Doug for it. (Including myself.)  No one wanted to risk squashing the trust that was given to them.  But hey that could be another way of sharing a circuits at a more personable level.  Of course there's always the bad egg out there that doesn't have morals or the inner voice that tells them right from wrong and will screw anyone to make a buck or steal an idea.

[redeffect]

If its that good, somebodys gonna buy one; reverse engineer it; and post the schematic/layout anyway. Seen it done on this forum more than once. These are just the facts. Right? Wrong? Who am I to judge...  BTW; sharing really is caring. To me there is no greater gift than shared knowledge.
red

[MartyMart]

If it's something that you're serious about going "commercial" with, then keep it to yourself.
The idea of "emailing" to those forumites who politely request a copy seems cool, and it works
for Doug.
As soon as it's "out there" it's OUT THERE !!

MM.