[time-nuts] patents and hobbyist projects

[Brooke Clarke]

Hi Attila:

In the late 1950s I bought an oscilloscope kit branded EICO (Electronic Instrument Co).  The story was that if sold as a 
completed product would have violated a patent.

-- 
Have Fun,

Brooke Clarke
http://www.PRC68.com
http://www.end2partygovernment.com/2012Issues.html
The lesser of evils is still evil.

-------- Original Message --------
> On Fri, 13 May 2016 19:32:58 -0500
> David <davidwhess at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for those.  I went over them pretty carefully and what I am
>> proposing is not covered by either although that would not protect me
>> from a debilitating patent lawsuit.
> I wouldn't worry about patent lawsuits at all unless you intend to
> start a multi-million business.
>
> I've been active for over a decade in the extremely patent ridden
> field of open source video coding (video encoders and players).
> Everything in video coding is patented. For loops, 2D FFT/DCTs,
> taking a difference of two values... you name it. Yet, over all
> those years, there were very few clashes with companies on
> intellectual property, and most of them boiled down on using
> some of their trademarked names, more than anything else.
>
> As a hobbyist, you are not a target. For one, patents are about
> commercial use only. If you don't sell it, patents don't apply
> (this is a bit simplified, but not incorrect). You cannot be
> sued for publishing schematics or blueprints either. It's not
> infringement to talk about a patent, is it? And last but not
> least, you don't have money. Even if someone sued you, they
> will not get anything out of it, so it's not worth the truble.
>
> If a company feels like they need to do something, you most
> likely will get an email telling you that they don't like
> your blog post, or whatever, and that you should take it
> offline. If comply, nothing will happen. If you answer back
> that you are insisting on your right of free speech, it
> is very likely that nothing will happen either. At most
> you'll get another email saying that you should really consider it.
>
>
> 			Attila Kinali
>
>