Broadbill patterns
- Thread starter Ed L.
- Start date
John Robinson
Well-known member
Hi Ed,
I'm a landscape architect and architectural CAD draftsman. I use AutoCAD 2005 and like you, I have also thought about transferring some the Devlin design's I have purchased into AutoCAD for my own use. As you know one of the real cool advantages to using a popular CAD program is the ability to electronically share the design. That could lead to a temptation to bypass Devlin's copyright and thereby cheat Devlin, who rightfully depends on revenue from his intellectual property.
I know that your intent is only to enrich your boat building experience by utilizing a tool that you are expert in, I'm just pointing out that after your work you could be contacted by somebody like me, who also uses AutoCAD, and asks you to email your lofting plans as a favor. From reading your post I can tell you are a man of integrity, I'm just pointing out the start of a slippery slope.
I don't know what my point is exactly, except that maybe Sam Devlin should be contacted to ask his feelings. I hope I didn't just open up another controversy and I really don't mean to be preachy.
Good luck with your project, I'm starting mine in the Spring.
John
I'm a landscape architect and architectural CAD draftsman. I use AutoCAD 2005 and like you, I have also thought about transferring some the Devlin design's I have purchased into AutoCAD for my own use. As you know one of the real cool advantages to using a popular CAD program is the ability to electronically share the design. That could lead to a temptation to bypass Devlin's copyright and thereby cheat Devlin, who rightfully depends on revenue from his intellectual property.
I know that your intent is only to enrich your boat building experience by utilizing a tool that you are expert in, I'm just pointing out that after your work you could be contacted by somebody like me, who also uses AutoCAD, and asks you to email your lofting plans as a favor. From reading your post I can tell you are a man of integrity, I'm just pointing out the start of a slippery slope.
I don't know what my point is exactly, except that maybe Sam Devlin should be contacted to ask his feelings. I hope I didn't just open up another controversy and I really don't mean to be preachy.
Good luck with your project, I'm starting mine in the Spring.
John
Thank you for not questioning my integrity. With that said, I’ll tell you that nobody from Devlin boats has contacted me even though I know they frequent this site due to the fact so many here have built boats from their plans. So I know they’re not questioning my integrity either. I will also tell you I have no intentions of selling or giving away their intellectual property.
I too practice residential design and have been able to help over 800 people over the course of 25 years realize their dreams of having a custom home. I’ll be the first to tell I have never outright plagiarized anyone’s work. I will also tell you that at one time or another I’m sure unknowingly I probably have been asked to design a bath or kitchen or porch from a clients design wishes that would constitute a copyright infringement. Now with that said I’ve always wondered how a set of house plans can be copyrighted. Just because someone called it an “Architectural Work” it’s covered by copyright law? After all, isn’t a house just a “utilitarian” object? Let’s look at some examples. Cars, planes, trains, clothing, hardware, machinery, dinnerware and yes even boats. These are all considered useful or “utilitarian” objects and considered NOT items covered my copyright law. Copyright is to protect “artistic expression”. So if I design a house and I have a custom carving in the gable over the front porch, that carving to me is the only thing I should be able to copyright. I have never copyrighted a set of plans. When I draw a set of plans for a client they become the property of the client the moment I receive payment. After all it’s there ideas. My job was to convey their thoughts onto a medium in which artisans can understand and construct their dwelling.
As in Sam’s drawings. His drawings are copyrighted to protect his “artistic expression” but does not give him exclusive rights to produce boats of the same design. That's no different than if Henry Ford would have tried copyrighting the design of the Model "A". Sam doesn't have to worry about me taking his plans to Kinko’s and copying them. That would be copyright infringement.
Perhaps not in this forum but I like to know your thoughts.
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed architect, engineer or attorney and the thoughts expressed in this thread are mine and only mine and are not to be used in any form without the express written approval of the writer.
Ed
I too practice residential design and have been able to help over 800 people over the course of 25 years realize their dreams of having a custom home. I’ll be the first to tell I have never outright plagiarized anyone’s work. I will also tell you that at one time or another I’m sure unknowingly I probably have been asked to design a bath or kitchen or porch from a clients design wishes that would constitute a copyright infringement. Now with that said I’ve always wondered how a set of house plans can be copyrighted. Just because someone called it an “Architectural Work” it’s covered by copyright law? After all, isn’t a house just a “utilitarian” object? Let’s look at some examples. Cars, planes, trains, clothing, hardware, machinery, dinnerware and yes even boats. These are all considered useful or “utilitarian” objects and considered NOT items covered my copyright law. Copyright is to protect “artistic expression”. So if I design a house and I have a custom carving in the gable over the front porch, that carving to me is the only thing I should be able to copyright. I have never copyrighted a set of plans. When I draw a set of plans for a client they become the property of the client the moment I receive payment. After all it’s there ideas. My job was to convey their thoughts onto a medium in which artisans can understand and construct their dwelling.
As in Sam’s drawings. His drawings are copyrighted to protect his “artistic expression” but does not give him exclusive rights to produce boats of the same design. That's no different than if Henry Ford would have tried copyrighting the design of the Model "A". Sam doesn't have to worry about me taking his plans to Kinko’s and copying them. That would be copyright infringement.
Perhaps not in this forum but I like to know your thoughts.
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed architect, engineer or attorney and the thoughts expressed in this thread are mine and only mine and are not to be used in any form without the express written approval of the writer.
Ed
John Robinson
Well-known member
Ed,
Thanks for the response, I sent you a PM via your email address.
Thanks for the response, I sent you a PM via your email address.