plagiarism?

[Tankstand]

Hi all.

I'd like your thoughts on the following...

When a person sees an object which is for sale and desires it but can't afford to buy it, but has the skills to make said object for ones own usage...

Does this constitute plagiarism or is it unethical or acceptable/unacceptable. (Are you still with me? ;-)

Thanks for your time.

Tankstand. (Not that I'd do anything like that! ;-)

[MICKYG]

Tankstand, as far as I know you can make anyhing you wish as long as it is for your own use, not sold or distributed. I have a fantastic device that I made which I saw in simmiliar form in the Mudgee Coolah area in 1962. It was not used with a router those days. I saw another version of the same principle used for sharpening 8 foot long mower blades with a machinery / food processing company, made by aussie inguenity.

It was not patented then and was the same in principle as the famous Woodrat which is claimed to be invented by Martin Godfrey in England. I doubt that it was around in 1962. You would need to read the current laws on patent rights to be sure.

Kind Regards
Mike

[derekcohen]

The definition of "plagiarism" is to claim that the idea (that you stole) is yours and not attributed to anyone else. To copy another's design and acknowledge this is not plagiarism. It may violate copyrite laws, but is otherwise up to you. What do they say about the sincerest form of flattery .....?


Regards from Perth

Derek

[DaveInOz]

Many furniture items are described as "inspired by ...." , so long as you attribute it to the original designer

[grumpywombat]

Plagiarism is when you knowingly rip off (cheat) someone elses ideas or work, usually literature, without acknowledging the source if you use the original quotation, by implying that you came up with it on your own.

However a good idea quickly becomes 'common sense' and then the boundary blurs.

Plagiarism is not when something is common knowledge or in common usage. For example, making a desk with a slide out keyboard tray would not be "plagiarism" or violate copyright per se. Maybe the mechanism is patented or whatever, but if you just had a sliding drawer it would serve the same function and still be your implementation of the genral design. When your making something YOURSELF and you figure out the nuts and bolts and how it works, then it is yours if it works and you would put your name to it.

On the other hand, when building something, saying "inspired by" or "based on" is the best way all round because it recognises that someone came up with a great idea that you thought was worth understanding enough to reproduce yourself. It also allows others to track down what you thought was so good and see why for themselves.

Cheers,

It's an ethical problem. Up to you.

[netfirm]

As long as you are copying something only for your own home use it is fine. If your concience is tickled, listen to the little voices and don't do it, or stick a nice brass plaque to it saying "Designed by ..."

:)