Yes, don¹t make it for sale without investigating. I tried to buy a Lowell gauge for several years running: back ordered and not filled. I finally asked and was told it might not become available again. At which point I decided to make one, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. If someone wanted to challenge that patent, they might have a good case, based on its not having been exercised. I understand that if you get a patent, but then fail to make use of the item/process/whatever by manufacturing, making available to the public, the patent lapses, loses force. Not something I care to find out about, but if it isn¹t true, it ought to be. As long as I¹m opining on the subject of patents, I have to say I vastly prefer the Spurlock approach: come up with a design, tell people about it, then manufacture it at a reasonable price. The idea catches on better, and you probably make more money in the long run. We are such a tiny market that patenting something like Lowell¹s gauge is rather silly IMO. I have no objection to somebody making some money on inventiveness, but a bit of common sense doesn¹t hurt, either. BTW, I notice in the latest Pianotek catalog that Lowell¹s gauge is listed ³call for price.² Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico On 4/4/06 6:19 PM, "Don Mannino" <DMannino at kawaius.com> wrote: > Might infringe on Tom Lowell's gauge, though. I know he does have patents. > > It's OK to make anything for one's personal use, of course! > > Don >> -----Original Message----- >> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred >> Sturm >> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 5:10 PM >> To: caut >> Subject: Re: [CAUT] downbearing gauge, homemade >> >> On 4/3/06 6:20 PM, "Jeff Olson" <jlolson at cal.net> wrote: >> >>> >>> Wow, thanks, Fred. Maybe I'm overly in touch with my feminine side, but I >>> think it's downright cute. The level on top is cool. Think I might make me >>> one (you didn't go and patent it, did you? :-) >>> >>> Jeff >>>> >> >> Hi Jeff, >> Nope, no patent. Open source code <g>. Any and everyone may feel free to >> copy, improve, do whatever. That¹s why I posted it. >> Regards, >> Fred Sturm >> University of New Mexico >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/20060405/e215817a/attachment.html
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