Copyright question!

Tjips · Post by **Tjips** » November 7th, 2005, 10:41 am

I've a little bit of a problem. I've modified a folders design in a couple of ways and want to clear up the copyright procedure. The only hitch in the normal flow would be that the folder has passed away. Due to desgressional concern I'm not gonna mention his name. Someone please help.

Perhaps this would be a good time to clarrify the whole copyrght issue?

wolf · Post by **wolf** » November 7th, 2005, 3:15 pm

It depends on what you want to do with the modified design. Are you going to submit it for publication, publish it commercially in a book, sell the model (for profit or charity), etc?

Also, some of the issues have been covered in an earlier thread:
http://snkhan.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=449

aces21 · Post by **aces21** » February 21st, 2009, 9:37 pm

Wasn't sure where to post this - there was a topic on selling other peoples work but I guess it got locked due to lots of argueing. Anyway, my wife and I are raising money for charity and some of the people she works with heard I fold. So they asked if I could fold them some stuff and they'd pay for it - with the money going to the charity. Now I realise that selling other peoples designs is wrong and I don't have anything of my own - I'm just not that creative, but if it is for charity - or if I folded stuff and gave it away, then the people just donated to charity anyway.

What do you think - is this o.k, acceptable, still bad? I'm kinda torn so would appreciate some advice.

insaneorigami · Post by **insaneorigami** » February 21st, 2009, 9:58 pm

Well, I once had an issue similar to this (except I'm 15 years old and not married), and I was going to sell some models to support one of my mom's societies. I Was going to sell some of Robert Lang's stuff, but I was afraid of a copywrite issue, so I checked his website. Sure enough, his webpage said that it is not legal to sell any of his designs [even if it is not for personal profit, {like mine was not for personal profit} (Only he can sell them)]. I ended up just selling my own designs.

If the authors (of the models that you are planning to sell) have a website, I encourage you to go to their website and check if they have anything on it talking about selling their models. If they do not, I would find a way to contact them, and ask them about it.

Hope this helps

OrigamiGianluca · February 21st, 2009, 11:02 pm

insaneorigami, Tjips said:

Tjips wrote:The only hitch in the normal flow would be that the folder has passed away.

So it is impossible to contact the forder/s, but anyway even if it isn't written anywhere the copyright of a model belogs to its folder. Using it without his permission is not legal.

That's said, "I've modified a forder design" is a very ambiguous sentence.
How much your modifications have changed the original model?
Have you just changed the shape of the wings/head/legs etc.?
Have you take out something completely different?
Does, for example, the original model have an unusual "triky fold" from that you have taken your advantage to do your model?

I think your it is not properly a copyright case, but a conscience case.
Only you can honestly check the real value of your modification.

But anyway, adding a little note under your model such as "this model was inspired to me by the xxxxx of yyyyyyy" I think could be the best thing to do.

HankSimon · Post by **HankSimon** » February 22nd, 2009, 8:03 pm

I agree with OrigamiGianluca as probably the most reasonable approach in your specific situation.

However, you could try to contact the family of the deceased, and ask their permission.

- Hank Simon