[sdiy] Re: Doepfer A-105 looks like Oakley Multiladder?

[Neil Johnson]

Tony, and all,

> However, I will not remove my circuits from the net. I want my stuff to
> inspire ordinary people to build their own modulars and make music. If
> they buy my PCBs to do it then all the better.

Agreed - half the "buzz" comes from knowing that other people are enjoying
your circuits (the other half comes from a dodgy bit of wiring in the
signal path ... another story)

I use an alternative broadcast medium - hobby magazines.

Pros:
* You get paid for it (always a good thing IMHO)
* Maybe more circulation than through the WWW alone (I have no evidence
either way on this though)
* The magazine gets copyright on the printed page, so possibly if
some*thing* like Dope-fur copies the schematic at least someone else, with
more money to spend on lawyers, can have a serious go at them.
* The buzz of seeing your name in print in your local high street
newsagent.

Cons:
* The magazine gets copyright on the printed page, so you can't generally
go publishing it on the WWW.

Of course, this doesn't stop "them" taking your schematic, changing a few
components, adding an extra CV input (real effort that, takes all of
drawing a single resistor and adding another connector ... sheesh) and
claiming it's their own design all along.

For instance, I'm designing a VCO, and one day I'd like to get it
published (the "buzz" thing, y'know).  But, it looks "similar" to Tony's
VCO, and the ASM-1 VCO, and the Tim Orr Transcendent 2000 VCO and a bit
like some of Rene's VCO's ... matched transistor expo driving integrating
ramp osc with JFET reset driven by LM311.  So, am I treading on anyone's
copyright??  Suppose I decide to sell kits based on this design, do I owe
anyone anything more substantial than a beer??

Certainly in "photocopy" cases (and maybe Dope-fur is one of these) I
think it stinks.  I don't suppose he/she/it asked before using your
design, Tony??  Sometimes we don't want money, just fame, glory, fast
cars, private jets, etc.

But, on the other hand, is this the price we pay for spreading the word of
analogue synthesis to the ignorant masses?  Maybe, in the grand scheme of
things, newbies get introduced by Dope-fur (who have their own marketing
machine), then when they've grown up they search the web and find MOTM or
OSS.  Who knows???

Neil

--
Neil Johnson :: Computer Laboratory :: University of Cambridge ::
  http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~nej22           +44 (0) 1223 334 477