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who does own RepRap site

Posted by jinx 
who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 11:46AM
HI,

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The idea of RepRap may belong to everyone (and I think it does) but the website does not. The ability to post here is a privilege, not a right.
with the greatest of respect to "matt mosses" and admins for doing a super job moderating the forum, but that lines just doesn't sit well with me, " cant even say why just doesn't.
but surely the success of the RepRap sites comes from the very people that contributes to the articles and the support we give each other.
I am left wondering who does own the site?.
happy printing
Jinx.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2014 11:48AM by jinx.
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 12:25PM
jinx, that is a perfectly reasonable question. The answer depends on what one means by "RepRap". The RepRap project, or RepRap "movement" doesn't really belong to anyone... It is a collection of ideas and projects and people that are somewhat loosely (and chaotically) united by common interest (which happens to be changing over time). It doesn't really belong to anyone because it is not the sort of thing that could belong to anyone. Maybe a better explanation can be found in Adrian Bowyer's thoughts on RepRap and Open Source. You should also check out the interview with Adrian Bowyer (the founder of RepRap) in the first issue of RepRap Magazine.

In contrast, reprap.org is a website. It has to be owned, by someone, in order to function. The reprap.org domain is registered to Adrian Bowyer. He also holds the copyright on the term "RepRap" and the RepRap logo, but they are released under GPL, as you can read on this page: RepRapGPLLicense. Here is more information:

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RepRap GPL License
The copyright covers the teardrop device, the neologism "RepRap" in upper, lower, or any mix of cases in any typeface, and the phrase "Fused Filament Fabrication" and its abbreviation to "FFF". The teardrop, "RepRap", "Fused Filament Fabrication" and "FFF" are also covered by the GPL. Anyone can use them freely in any way they choose, but they may not be registered as trademarks or restricted in any other way. You may use them with significant extra words and graphics in trademarks and the like, just as you would be able to with words from the dictionary.

And of course, the forums and wiki on reprap.org must reside on a physical computer somewhere. Some entity unknown to me owns the physical machine, and they donate part of the server time to RepRap (as far as I know). The system administration tasks are performed by a loosely organized collection of volunteers. There is talk of upgrading the hardware to a dedicated server and making the sys-admin process more organized... but that is a topic for another thread! smiling smiley
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 12:43PM
thanks for that mattmoses clears things up for me,, my apologies for throwing an extra "S" into yr name.
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 12:58PM
That GPL License brings up some ideas. Are they hard to come by? Expensive? Or more importantly, would it be an effective tool against the industries copyrighting the RepRap Community's work, allowing open source designs to stay just that; open source?
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 01:12PM
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MrDoctorDIV
That GPL License brings up some ideas. Are they hard to come by? Expensive? Or more importantly, would it be an effective tool against the industries copyrighting the RepRap Community's work, allowing open source designs to stay just that; open source?

If by 'they' you mean the GPL, it doesn't cost anything to license. You just need to include the text of the license in your source code or other text files.
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 01:33PM
From my understanding, they hold no legal value. However, publishing a design establishes it as art and provides proof of it existing. That proof can be used to prove prior art. You can not sue a company or person that copies you, but you can use the prior art to prevent them from patenting you idea.*

* - a lot of times, there are patent workarounds that can be used to eventually patent the idea.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2014 01:35PM by gmh39.


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Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 01:44PM
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gmh39
From my understanding, they hold no legal value.
The GPL very much holds legal value for source code. It is less clear how well it applies to hardware designs. There are pages and pages and pages of debate on this forum regarding GPL and open source. I encourage anyone interested to read the existing material before we get a new thread started on this topic. Here is a good one to start with.

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jinx
my apologies for throwing an extra "S" into yr name.
No worries. smiling smiley
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 01:47PM
Here is another recent discussion on open source licenses, patents, etc.
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 02:29PM
I was referring to hardware, not software, but it is definitely a complicated topic that requires some expert input.


greghoge.com

HUGE 3D PRINTER PARTS SALE!!!
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 22, 2014 09:56PM
IMO in the ideal world, the site would be licensed by a foundation or organization and not an individual. That way individuals are free to disassociate themselves from the website without causing a destruction of the community. Or -- and not that I believe this is the case, the website isn't subject to the whims of the individual which may include profit motives that benefit that person, but could damage the community.
Re: who does own RepRap site
April 23, 2014 12:11AM
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iquizzle
in the ideal world, the site would be licensed by a foundation
People tried this in the real world. Here, hop into the internet wayback machine and see what it was like back then!
[web.archive.org] (from 2007)

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RepRap Research Foundation
The RepRap Research Foundation has a single purpose:

To promote research in self-replicating manufacturing systems and to distribute the results of that research freely to everybody using open-source licensing.
After the director of the RRRF left it to create Makerbot, the RRRF withered and died. This illustrates the great paradox of any foundation dedicated to RepRap: The foundation needs strong leadership to survive. But anyone up to the job is much better off simply starting their own company.
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