Comments on: Knitting, copyrights, and copyleft http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/ Watch out. We've got sharp sticks. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:25:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Jesse http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-33520 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:10:33 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-33520 Great article - thank you! Great article - thank you!

]]> by: sHERLOCK-THE-DOGS-DADDY http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-15349 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:03:46 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-15349 You should have made the lawyer joke when you had the chance! You should have made the lawyer joke when you had the chance!

]]> by: Evanesce http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-505 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 23:56:30 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-505 Thank you very much for replying to my copyleft article in my blog ^^ I read through this and much better understand what's going on here. I think I'ma edit a link to this article into my post and also look to change my copyleft up some; thanks a lot! ~LAEvanesce Thank you very much for replying to my copyleft article in my blog ^^ I read through this and much better understand what’s going on here. I think I’ma edit a link to this article into my post and also look to change my copyleft up some; thanks a lot!

~LAEvanesce

]]> by: Anonick http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-355 Sun, 06 Aug 2006 14:00:35 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-355 Very nicely written article, I have bookmarked it for future reference. Thanks for the links, and the summaries of how Copyright and Copylefts work. I recently got a CC license for my blog, and this article greatly helps me understand it. Thanks. :-) Very nicely written article, I have bookmarked it for future reference.

Thanks for the links, and the summaries of how Copyright and Copylefts work. I recently got a CC license for my blog, and this article greatly helps me understand it.

Thanks. :-)

]]> by: lorinda http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-339 Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:55:35 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-339 Wow, Alex. Thanks. I'm going to have to read this again and again. Nicely done! Wow, Alex. Thanks. I’m going to have to read this again and again. Nicely done!

]]> by: Alex http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-321 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 20:04:19 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-321 That sounds more like a "rule of thumb" than any strict legal determination (courts never get you definite numbers or percentages for things like this—sometimes three paragraphs is copyright infringement, sometimes you can copy half a book and not have it be a problem), but it is really interesting that they teach it in this way. I think the real kicker in the case of apparel would be how one defines 10% worth of "change" (does changing the color count as 1%, 10%, 20%, 0%?). Trademarks are an entirely different story, you're absolutely right. They never expire unless they stop being maintained, which makes sense (trademark protection is not intended to help stimulate competition, but to avoid fraud issues). Generally speaking people should not mess around with other people's trademarks as it is a real minefield (even logos of universities on privately produced items have led to legal difficulties for people in the past). That sounds more like a “rule of thumb” than any strict legal determination (courts never get you definite numbers or percentages for things like this—sometimes three paragraphs is copyright infringement, sometimes you can copy half a book and not have it be a problem), but it is really interesting that they teach it in this way. I think the real kicker in the case of apparel would be how one defines 10% worth of “change” (does changing the color count as 1%, 10%, 20%, 0%?).

Trademarks are an entirely different story, you’re absolutely right. They never expire unless they stop being maintained, which makes sense (trademark protection is not intended to help stimulate competition, but to avoid fraud issues). Generally speaking people should not mess around with other people’s trademarks as it is a real minefield (even logos of universities on privately produced items have led to legal difficulties for people in the past).

]]> by: Jill http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-320 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 18:55:49 +0000 http://www.knitsisters.com/2006/08/02/knitting-copyrights-and-copyleft/#comment-320 Hi Alex, We learned in apparel school that if you change a design or pattern by 10% or more, it is no longer covered by copyright. Not sure if it's the same for knitting, though. Sad, but true. As far as apparel with logos, that's another story. The logo is either TM or copyrighted, and is illegal to use. That's why fake designer purses are illegal, but knock-off clothing (without labels/logos) are not. :-) Jill http://gelsominalucchesi.blogspot.com Hi Alex,
We learned in apparel school that if you change a design or pattern by 10% or more, it is no longer covered by copyright. Not sure if it’s the same for knitting, though. Sad, but true.

As far as apparel with logos, that’s another story. The logo is either TM or copyrighted, and is illegal to use. That’s why fake designer purses are illegal, but knock-off clothing (without labels/logos) are not.

:-) Jill
http://gelsominalucchesi.blogspot.com

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