List for discussion of patent tools

[Bryan Bishop <kanzure AT gmail.com>]

Jeff, I am forwarding your message on to the open source manufacturing
group as well:
http://groups.google.com/group/openmanufacturing

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jeff Osier-Mixon <jefro AT jefro.net>
Date: Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 7:45 PM
Subject: [cc-community] Seeking open hardware advice
To: cc-community AT lists.ibiblio.org


Hi all,

I am trying to find out the logical differences among open-source
licenses, partly because I should know after this many years in the
field, and partly because I would like to advise a hardware project on
the best methods for both licensing and copyrighting their materials.

The project is a small ARM-based single-board computer
(http://beagleboard.org).  The intent of the provider is that the
board be "totally open", meaning OK to download the plans and modify,
even to create commercial products, with attribution.  They prefer
that their logo not be a part of any derived works.  That is basically
it.  These guys are TI engineers doing this project on their own time
and get nothing from it other than the joy of helping to spread
embedded systems love to the world.

The website from which these materials flows also has a CC-BY-SA logo
on the home page. There is a set of detailed design drawings (with no
copyright marks) and a system reference guide (with a CC-BY-SA logo on
the front).  The "license" page itself contains just the disclaimer
portion of a slightly modified BSD license, although as I said, that
license does not appear in the materials themselves.  The maintainers
have considered and rejected the new Open Hardware License due to
clause 3, which requires derived works to maintain the same license -
they don't want to put that restriction on the board.

So, in other words, the docs & materials are CC-BY-SA while the IP
that defines the board is BSD-like.  From what I have read, I believe
what they need to do is:

(1) put the CC-BY-SA logo on every page of all materials, drawings,
documentation, etc. and on every page of the website

(2) state in the front of each set of materials, drawings,
documentation, etc. the language of the BSD-like license and what is
covered by it - the specific ideas as expressed in the drawings and
materials

I would really like to help them get their licensing correct as the
first step to forming a "real" dot-org.  Am I on the right path?

thanks

Jeff


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- Bryan
http://heybryan.org/
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