TrailRat wrote:
A little debate between friends has led me to spill it among the
newsgroup. The debate is over mass produced furniture and the
reproduction of it in a private workshop.

The question goes along these lines. Is approaching a flat-pack
supermarket or furniture store with the intention of copying a piece
illegal.

It is. More importantly is that it is a waste of time.


A few of the answers state that it must be a breach of copyright laws.

It is.

Another answer states that if a carpenter copies a piece
unintentionally, then he'd break a copy right law.

Correct.

Other answers state
that various pieces follow the same basic principles, i.e the design of
a wardrobe is the same on many levels but there are many variants.

So whats the opinion of the group. Maybe I'll share it with my friend
next time I'm down the pub. Yes, the debate started over pint.

Copyright and moral rights can be looked up on the web.

Just find the international treaties -- they are all a lot alike...

A link to the Canadian Copyright Act.
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-42/

Since the act is based on International treaty there should not be many
areas of disagreement with other countries. Except Taiwan and their ilk.

Note: Moral rights.... Read that section it should be of interest based
on most questions I have seen here.

Most questions in this forum are answered here.

The Berne Convention is much more clear on "the limits" for plagiarism
a, copying and term of rights than the acts of some countries...

Again -- note moral rights here.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html

http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/

USA Enactment of...
http://www.cni.org/docs/infopols/US....onvention.html

More stuff on ethics and protection of authors
http://home.cwru.edu/~ijd3/authorship/berne.html

Economic Right vs. Moral rights...
Article on fundamental difference between American law ans European Law
(and perhaps most of the rest of the world)
http://home.cwru.edu/~ijd3/authorship/economic.html

And of course -- the google search for those wishing to delve further...
http://www.google.ca/search?q=Berne+...tart=1 0&sa=N






TR



--
Will
Occasional Techno-geek