RE: [VAL] Wally's original plans built trailers

["Cruiserbob" <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Even formally recognized patents only last 17 years.  Many great and
extremely profitable industries have been commandeered by the process of
patent interference . . . which books have been written about.

It seems to me that the best form of protection for intellectual rights,
which would the plans for the "original" Airstream would be copyright.
Consider that Bill Gates copyrights on DOS and windows are holding strong
for billions of dollars over 35 years now.

So whoever copyrighted the plans could conceivably try to protect them from
copying, but if they do not and the item falls into the public domain
category than anyone can build one and call it an "original Airstream" by
citing their source and legal arguments.  Mainly that they followed the
public domain (generic) plans to the T and they personally are fond of
connecting to the original designer for sentimental (not for profit)
reasons.

Caution!  If the person doing the new build from old drawings is just trying
to enhance market value of the new build, that is "for profit".

I am not a lawyer but I have extensive real world experience with being
copied and struggling for my personal copyrights with the word "videography"
and "CruiserBob's" which became legendary as the name for downhill bicycle
adventuring on the Maui volcano of Haleakala.

Rights are always a messy business and filled with the "other guys" POV :)

Bob Kiger
www.cruiserbob.com
www.videography.org
Oceanside, CA