Quote:
Originally Posted by Nettio
Yeah, the license thing gets tricky sometime although there are non-digital products that have TOU licenses as well. Like sewing patterns - some patterns are personal use only. You can't use the pattern to make items to sell. How often that's enforced, I don't know, but it does exist.
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Believe it or not, patterns cannot legally be licensed this way: dis-allowing commercial use or not allowing the resale of items made from the pattern. A pattern maker does not have the right to tell a buyer they can't sell items made from that pattern. It doesn't stop pattern makers from putting that "rule" on their pattern, though. I know this because I sell original plush dolls and animals on Etsy and I am a pattern maker. Many Etsy sellers have TOU for their patterns that are not, and cannot be, enforced by law. I think it's better to just let people sell items they make from your pattern... since it is their labor that sewed the item and chose the fabrics & trims, etc. Spread the love.
Anyways, I digress... This is why you see clothing knocked off by Forever 21 and other retailers all the time. A pattern can't be copyrighted, only the images and drawings cannot be copied, distributed or reproduced.
Just wanted to add that bit. The issue of "terms", copyright, and license, etc. is very interesting and complicated.
