Please address to [email protected] and not to owner-sundial...
---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 20:31:32 -0500 From: Mac Oglesby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Uncle John <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: patent on a sundial >Fellow sundial enthusiasts, > >Is it worth even considering getting a patent on a sundial? I imagine some >of you have done so. Would you do it again? > >John Hello John, Let me share my experience. About seven years ago I made a sundial which friends really liked and urged me to patent. Basking in their compliments, and since, in my brief career with sundials, I hadn't seen anything similar, I went to a patent attorney who (surprise!) encouraged me and offered to do a preliminary search for $500, payable in advance. Well, my $500 essentially purchased two words, "public domain." I also got a dozen sheets of paper - copies of expired patents wherein my "original" idea had been set forth. Since then, I've become much more aware of the incredibly rich history of sundials and the wide diversity of designs. Your dial may be unique enough to earn a patent, but it's an expensive process, and having a patent doesn't guarantee any monetary return. My two cents worth. I'd like to hear of others' experiences. Mac Oglesby
