Lego doodles POST THEM

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Bragallot
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Bragallot » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:33 pm

It's not about winning Colette. As long as it seems like a worthwhile pastime and you're learning something, it's worth it. Although I guess it's kinda silly we're theorizing about something that will (hopefully) never happen.

When you see people arguing about their favourite sports team, then don't hesitate to use that picture.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:45 pm

This is unrelated to the argument, but Zahru's post reminded me of some other copyright stuff I wanted to point out.

Stuff like the AC instructions are automatically subject to copyright; that's the kind of thing copyright is designed for. But for the MOC itself, what can and can't be copyrighted isn't necessarily so clear.

Luckily we have the history of LEGO sets to draw from. LEGO designs can be copyrighted, because otherwise Mega Bloks and everyone else would be making duplicates of the exact same sets. They tried it in the eighties, but got struck down, even after they removed all the obvious identifying trademarks (replacing the space logo with a mega bloks logo, etc.). LEGO designs can be copyrighted even when the functionality and design of the LEGO brick (minus the LEGO logo on the studs) can't.

For the AC in particular, you would have a very hard time getting a copyright for the AC itself, because obviously somebody else owns the copyright (and probably even a trademark) on the Armored Core franchise. As such the people selling the MOC instructions absolutely, definitely have no legal right to do so. Whether or not they can claim copyrights on the building techniques or design instructions when they're in flagrant copyright violation themselves, well ... I'm not sure how that works actually. I'll be out drinking with the lawyers again tomorrow, so I guess I could ask if anyone's interested, but it's kind of obscure.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Bragallot » Thu Feb 28, 2013 7:49 pm

I think we can at least agree it's not an easy, wholly transparent subject.
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Kommander Ken wrote:
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Wtf is this thread?

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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:04 pm

It's a lot more transparent than it used to be though; every time the Lego legal department concludes a case (whether they win or lose), it's another precedent set and one more question that we don't need to answer anymore.

So I forget what we were trying to answer in the first place, other than whether or not it's ethical that the AC guys charged money for their MOC instructions, but the very basic question of whether a MOC design can have copyright protection is pretty clear.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:07 pm

Zahru II wrote:So if I rebuild something via pictures of a MOC, am I infringing 'copyright'?
Wait, now I see Zahru's (non-AC) post that you were talking about. Yes, I was thinking about the wrong post.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Bragallot » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:10 pm

the very basic question of whether a MOC design can have copyright protection is pretty clear.
Yes, I never tried to argue with that, all I'm saying is that it could be difficult to get it / prove you deserve it considering (aforementioned reasons) in cases where the defendant's MOC isn't an exact replica. I'm also considering that most MOCs aren't built completely from scratch and have ideas (the concept of an AC, power armor, etc. might already belong to someone somewhere) and often even other MOCs preceding them. It's even possible to have an idea you think is your own, simply because you don't remember you saw it somewhere else the first time, but it's still in your mind.
Last edited by Bragallot on Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Kommander Ken wrote:
Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:04 pm
Wtf is this thread?

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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:13 pm

I decided to google around about this, and lol: http://articles.courant.com/2012-01-29/ ... -toys-lock
Geller, who runs Hong Kong-based Best-Lock from the west coast of Canada, said he decided to become a LEGO competitor in part because he thought it was unethical that the Danish firm copied the British bricks invented by Hilary Page.

In an interview Friday, he acknowledged the similarities between the shapes of Best-Lock's figures and LEGO's.

"I did the figures because I want to piss them off," he said.
I like Best-Lock so much better now.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Bragallot » Thu Feb 28, 2013 8:15 pm

Well at least he's honest.

Having read the article though, it seems he plays mostly on the emotional side of things ('Lego was too expensive for me as a kid, blabla') and that doesn't tend to impress judges, at least it shouldn't. Personally I don't mind there being cloan brands to keep Lego sharp though.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Keldoclock » Thu Feb 28, 2013 10:52 pm

Collette
I think I would amend that to just talking to Brag in general. Not to offend, dude, but you are like, soooooo easily worked up into a fervor. It's like you are doing it on purpose, which, come to think of it, you probably are.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:47 am

Keldoclock wrote:I think I would amend that to just talking to Brag in general. Not to offend, dude, but you are like, soooooo easily worked up into a fervor. It's like you are doing it on purpose, which, come to think of it, you probably are.
Hey, I was wondering where you were! It's weird to get Brag whipped up over something and not have you immediately jumping in swinging. Without you there I feel like we just kind of ran out of steam halfway in.
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Bragallot » Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:48 am

Keldoclock wrote:
Collette
I think I would amend that to just talking to Brag in general. Not to offend, dude, but you are like, soooooo easily worked up into a fervor. It's like you are doing it on purpose, which, come to think of it, you probably are.
Nope. That's just your interpretation. I don't know where you draw this fervor stuff from, because we were just talking.

This is the BrikWars forum, and not everyone here plays nice all the time, including you. Occasionally I say controversial stuff on purpose, and I'm not the only one. You probably don't take everything ShadowScythe, Warhead, Silverdream, Magic Soap and Ham say seriously all the time, so you don't have to make an exception for me.
Last edited by Bragallot on Fri Mar 01, 2013 6:52 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Kommander Ken wrote:
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Wtf is this thread?

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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:53 am

Better late than never I guess :omnom:
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by IVhorseman » Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:18 pm

Bragallot wrote:Nope. That's just your interpretation. I don't know where you draw this fervor stuff from, because we were just talking.
For the past 4 pages. You guys are definitely both boneriffic.

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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by stubby » Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:45 pm

:umad:

(honestly I've just been looking for an excuse to make this smiley)
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Re: Lego doodles POST THEM

Post by Quantumsurfer » Fri Mar 01, 2013 6:11 pm

Yeah, no, the funny thing is that we all just sat here and watched it play out. Who's boneriffic now?

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