HI FELLOW ORIGAMISTS, First of all I wanted to thank you for answering my latest question about the fold and unfold arrow... thank you very much : )
Regarding today's subject, I wanted to tell you that I'm kinda upset. I suppose you know that origami models belong intellectually to their creator, in most cases. That's the copyright; it's something that happens automatically as soon as you create the model, although you can also register it in your city's copyright office to support your intellectual property over the model. I also suppose most of you know that I enjoy creating useful models, like boxes and envelopes among other things. So I recently created a new useful model. As usual, I'm very proud of it and I can't wait to post how to fold it so anyone with an Internet connection can have the chance to fold it. My main desire is that you (the origami community) get to know the model, hopefully like it, and acknowledge me as its creator. I'm not particularly interested in making money out of it, yet I do think it might become commercially appealing. I thought about registering it in the copyright office so I would have to legally be acknowledged as the creator if someone wanted to use it commercially. As I was in the office, a lawyer that worked there told me that creations (origami and of any other form) that have a practical use aren't copyrightable! Can you imagine that?! The lawyer told me that in that case it was an industrial property, being so I could protect it with a patent. So I went to the patent office after that. There, another lawyer explained to me I could start the process for registering it as a "utility model" (should've figured considering I call it "useful model" in origami terms). The "utility model" is a simpler version of a patent that is only available in certain countries. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_model The problem is that patents and utility models were created when you want to make money out of your creation. That's why I would have to pay a registration fee, an examination fee, and if everything goes well, I would also have to pay an annual fee for the ten years I would have exclusive rights over the object (model). After that, it would become part of the public domain and anyone could use it freely, even with commercial purposes. That option is ABSURD for someone that isn't completely interested in making money out of the model! All I want is a way to legally protect my useful model so that, in the case that any business wants to use it, they would feel obligated to ask for my consent. Know what I mean? I really don't think it's fair that my work, regarding most of my models, aren't entitled to a copyright, obligating me to make money out of them if I need to legally protect any of them : ( So after this long cathartic "rant" I REALLY need to ask you, does anyone know if I have a third option? What can you do if you wish to legally protect your useful origami model but aren't particularly planning to make money out of it? I'll be crossing my fingers cause I really hope I get a positive answer... as always, thank you in advance!
