Ron Wanttaja wrote:
On Mon, 03 May 2004 02:02:22 GMT, Dillon Pyron
wrote:


On Mon, 03 May 2004 00:45:51 GMT, Ron Wanttaja
wrote:


Wouldn't make him a felon, in any case. The worst he'd be doing is
violating a patent, which is a civil case.

You can reproduce any patented item for your own personal use. If
it's used commercially (a tool) or sold, then you're just waiting to
be served.


I believe you are incorrect. The owner of a patent has the *exclusive*
right to make the item. See:

http://www.lawmart.com/difference.htm

If an item is copyrighted, on the other hand, you generally can reproduce
it for private use under the 'Fair Use' provisions of the law.

Ron Wanttaja

You are quite correct, but theory and reality quickly diverge (as
usual). If you build the tool, the owner of the copyright has the basis
for a lawsuit, but the amount of damages the owner can hope to collect
is limited to the financial damages recieved as a result of you using
your own creation instead of theirs. Unless you've set up shop to sell
quite a few of these, it wouldn't be worth the lawsuits application fee 8*)

That is probably the reason that the myth of 'you can make it as long as
your not selling it' has so much staying power. Because for all
'practical' purposes, it's true.

On another note. DZUS fasteners are pretty old. Is the patent still in
effect. Patents only last 20yrs in most cases.

--
http://www.ernest.isa-geek.org/
"Ignorance is mankinds normal state,
alleviated by information and experience."
Veeduber