Re: [chat] Licences for electronic board designs embodying the ideas of the GPL or Creative Commons?

[mkraus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

G'day Mike and all...

I believe Richard Stallman is working on a similar system as the GNU license for hardware (and I'm guessing that includes circuit design).

See the FSF webpages for more info. (I believe thats where I saw the references.)

Warmest regards

Mike
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Michael S. E. Kraus
Network Administrator
Capital Holdings Group (NSW) Pty Ltd
p: (02) 9955 8000

Mike Lake <mikel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent by: slug-chat-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx 15/06/2003 06:43 PM

To:        slug-chat@xxxxxxxxxxx         cc:                 Subject:        [chat]         Licences for electronic board designs embodying the ideas of the        GPL or Creative Commons?

Hi all

I have been trying to find a license suitable for an electronic circuit
board design so that I can place it up on my web site and allow others
to use it but not have it go into the public domain. There does not seem
to be anything suitable.  The circuit will be up on the web site as a
TIFF image.

What I want to achieve: I want other hobbyists, rescue squads, cavers to
be able to use the circuit board to make their own cave communication
system; for them to publish it in their caving journals or on their web
sites for others to use; to make derivative works of it by adding
modifications; I would rather not have it go into the public domain as
then its open slather for people to sell it as theirs and maybe even try
to appropriate it.

What I want to license: the board design (i.e. the pattern of the copper
tracks on a circuit board) embodies design and layout decisions made by
myself. Its a bit like the typographical design of a book. 

What I don't want to license: the schematic diagram (i.e. the components 
and what connects to what) is quite separate and I have no intention to 
license that even though I will be putting my schematic up on the web
too. The reason is that I developed the circuit based on a prior circuits 
that were in the public domain.  

The GPL: is oriented towards software. Perhaps it can be used for a
circuit board but its a bit iffy as I am releasing the board as a TIFF
and a XCG image and you cant embed a copyleft notice that people will
see. (ignore steganography) I could fit onto the image just the words
"Released under the GPL" though.

The GNU Free Documentation License: is strongly oriented towards
'textual' works for which it was designed. To use the license one has to
embed a phrase stating that this work is licenced under the FDL: " that
contains a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it can be
distributed under the terms of this License. " 

The Creative Commons License (Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0): is more
suited to audio works and it has things like this in it:
"You must include a copy of, or the Uniform Resource Identifier for, this
License with every copy or phonorecord of each Derivative Work You
distribute," which is a pain.

I have searched google for combinations of words involving licence,
electronic, free, etc but get references to freely licensed software to
create electronic circuits rather than freely licenced electronic
circuits.

What are peoples thoughts on this? Anyone seen an appropriate licence?
At present I have placed it up at
http://www.speleonics.com.au/business/michiephones/schematic.html so you
can see the idea of what I want. Also note that what I have up their at
present is stronger than what a GPL would allow. I am still working it
out.

Mike
-- 
You have an unusual equipment for success. Be sure to use it properly.

Mike Lake
Caver, Linux enthusiast and interested in anything technical.
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