Re: [ox-en] Open Source Car - now for real?

Stefan Merten wrote:
> On [chox] I just found a message pointing to
> 
> 	http://www.riversimple.com/
> 
> which just "released" a car. The sources shall be available under a
> Creative Commons License under
> 
> 	http://www.40fires.org/

well, whenever somebody talks about *a* Creative Commons License, caution is
required. The site is licensed under a CC Noncommercial license and the
About <http://www.40fires.org/Wiki.jsp?page=About> page explains:

    Entrepreneurs around the world will be able to download drawings and
    data from this site to enable them to develop and build their own
    versions of this highly energy-efficient vehicle for their local
    market. All they will have to pay is a small license fee to 40 Fires,
    designed to cover 40 Fires running costs.

Regarding "Open Source car design"
<http://www.40fires.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Open%20Source%20car%20design>, they write:

    We consider that the designs themselves will be free in the sense of
    free speech, with one exception. Currently we have chosen a Creative
    Commons, non-commercial license. So the designs can be used, modified,
    distributed under the same license terms but not for commercial
    purposes.

    We have chosen to be conservative at this stage and not allowed
    commercial use. This may change -- we intend to set up a discussion
    group to debate this. The issue is that we don’t want a large,
    profit-focused organisation taking the designs and starting
    manufacturing with them yet. We intend that when we grant a
    manufacturing license, this will be for a small fee (say $10 per car)
    to cover 40 Fires running costs.

So, at least for the time being, this is yet another abuse of the "open
source" label :-(

Best regards
	Christian

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|-------- Dr. Christian Siefkes --------- [email protected] ---------
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