[sdiy] - Service Manual Project -

[Rainer Buchty]

On Tue, 22 May 2007, Aaron Lanterman wrote:

> 
> On May 22, 2007, at 7:05 PM, KA4HJH wrote:
> 
> > > > Of course, there's one thing which could be done (at least for service
> > > > manuals): redraw the schematics, redraw all diagrams/pictures, retype
> > > > the text. Then copyright is not violated.
> 
> Redrawing schematic = known OK.
> 
> Retyping text = not sure about that.

Hence I restricted it to service manuals; IANAL, but I vaguely remember 
that the text in service manuals is too straight-forward and doesn't 
contain significant creative artwork to be protectable (so the copyright 
mainly applies to this very conglomerate of schematics and text printed 
in this very form). 

But then, this might be one of the many urban legends...

However, if redrawing the schematic is ok (and the schematic *is* the 
main work, not the accompanying test which usually reads "check here, 
probe there"), then I don't see why retyping the text of a service 
manual will rise eyebrows.

Rainer