Electronics > Open Source Hardware

Projects released with no license

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jaromir:
Hello,
There is a lot of electronics projects around the web released with no license at all. Is it public domain? Can one copy/modify/use/sell those projects?

mazurov:
It depends on the country where you live and the country where the author of the project lives. For example, in the US the work is copyrighted by default, i.e., no notice means you can't use it even if all necessary information is released. However, I'm yet to meet a Chinese who would honor that - any IP is fair game for them, including IP created in China.

This all makes sense only if you are making money out of the design in question. For personal/internal purposes you can use any available information - including patents.



 

Bored@Work:
You should also consider that a good bunch of these projects are in turn ripoffs from someone else's project or datasheets. Whole websites try to make a living by publishing circuits they "found" on the net.

Just an example:

This one is clearly ripoff from an Elector publication http://www.eleccircuit.com/regulated-dc-power-supply-variable-output-0-60v-1a/ and that doesn't change just because the ripper added his own watermark.

danb35:

--- Quote from: mazurov on March 06, 2014, 08:25:17 pm ---For personal/internal purposes you can use any available information - including patents.
--- End quote ---
Although this is common practice, it isn't legally correct.  Patents, in particular, are exclusive, and there is no "fair use" exception.  Fair use is an issue in copyright law, but that still doesn't mean that you can copy copyrighted works wholesale as long as you aren't making money on it.

Bored@Work:

--- Quote from: danb35 on March 06, 2014, 09:52:56 pm ---
--- Quote from: mazurov on March 06, 2014, 08:25:17 pm ---For personal/internal purposes you can use any available information - including patents.
--- End quote ---
Although this is common practice, it isn't legally correct.  Patents, in particular, are exclusive, and there is no "fair use" exception.

--- End quote ---
What? Patents protect the commercial use, and that's it.

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