Hey there, I was browsing entries for the hiking context when I came across this model:
This is 95% identical to a model I designed, tested, and published a little over a year ago:
This is not the first time I’ve encountered what I consider a low-effort remix that doesn’t credit me so the creator can submit the model as a MakerWorld exclusive. I reported it, but makerworld doesn’t seem to have an option for license infringement (or am I missing something?).
The copied model has almost identical dimensions ±1mm
What is your take on this? Am I being unfair to expect some sort of attribution? Is it reasonable to say the model copied/remixed mine?
Edit: he admitted using my model and that he decided to design a version with upgrades, but deny being a remix
Always quite difficult to say. Especially when it comes to
‘simple’ designs. You can assume that you’re not the only one in the world with this idea. Whether he was inspired by you, whether he copied from you … you’ll only find out if you ask him. And even then, it is doubtful whether the truth is being spoken.
So my view on this? It’s not worth thinking about. The Printer community is so much more. Resentment and anger just aren’t worth it, it’s time better spent.
I just find it so sad that visibility is rewarded with this sort of thing happening on a regular basis.
My license allows remixes with attribution. They could have posted with the same license and given credit. This exclusive model system is encouraging a lot of these copies on standard license.
Even though simple, it took me quite a few tries to get something with the right tension, that doesnt snap in use, and thats easy to clip in. By knowing the work behind getting to some of these features, it made me sceptical that this is a coincidence.
Part of me agrees thats best to let go, but the other part feels cheated. Thanks for the perspective.
I can understand you, of course. In a case like this, there aren’t many options anyway. Either you talk it over with the person directly, you get Makerworld involved as a referee - or you have to accept it as it is.
There have even been cases where two companies came onto the market with the same idea at the same time. As I said, with something like a clip, the probability is higher that several people around the world could have come up with the same idea.
Even if I agree with you that the two designs look pretty much identical
well some thougts from my side, for this type of utilitarian designs, it’s very difficult to assert copyright, this would need to be through a patent, but given that this shape is so widely used commercially, i’m pretty sure it’s not able to be patented (and the cost probably also wouldn’t justify it)
The copyright front protects you on the aesthetic choices you make, but those are different between the both, it’s not a copy, so very difficult to get a copyright strike on it.
That being said, the attention to detail is much better in your design, so i’m sure that everyone searching and finding both will certainly prefer yours
I got an automated answer where they asked for a trademark or patent registration. I guess the license selector on the model uploading form has no use for them.
The copied model has the exact same features, with like 98% same dimensions, with variations of about 1mm. Photos are also eerily similar. It is too much of a coincidence.
The copied model is now trending on the hiking contest. While the original one is old and thus hidden. Super discouraging.
I’d say you can’t on this, it’s a fairly simple design & just a quick search on yeggi shows up multiple similar prints such as this one from 9 years ago https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1948101, this one from 8 years ago https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2698682 & a few others.
I’ve also used similar things for years at work which come with some of our lifting gear.
I get how you feel but for such a simple model idea this person may have taken inspiration but you’d find it very hard to prove.
(Editing because I couldn’t see the whole convo on the phone, obvious he took heavy inspiration)
If you use a model, decide to create an upgraded version, and end up with the same general shape and dimensions within milimiters of the original design, hiw is that not a remix?
A remix typically refers to a modification of an existing digital model. From what I can see, it looks like he created this from scratch in CAD, which would make it an original model according to MakerWorld’s and other popular platforms’ definitions. It might be inspired by your design—just as your model is inspired by an existing product.
In my opinion, he wasn’t obligated to credit you in this case, but I’m glad you were able to reach an agreement.
Because it isn’t. I’m not saying it is ok to be this heavily inspired but it is just not a remix, it is modeled from the ground up. And the fact that is is within mm of your design is very likely since there are not much millimeters to the design.
I shall give you one example of one of my designs. This is a dice tower I designed and I can assure you it is an original design:
And many people on Etsy try to sell it without my permission and I take them all down. Thus I keep looking for Etsy listings and to my surprise this one popped up:
Now, you tell me, is this a remix? I am fairly certain it wasn’t his original idea. And I can bet you he even downloaded and possibly printed my version. Inspired from the mechanics to the aesthetics (although he did have some trouble creating a nice looking terrace). But no, it is not a remix.
Is it the right way to design stuff? I don’t know
Did I contemplate sending him a message? I sure did
But I didn’t send him a message, I didn’t report him, I let him be. This is “sadly” how the world works but on the other hand this is how the world works. 99% is iterative and we wouldn’t be where we are today with solely original thoughts and works. I think it is nice that he credited you but he didn’t have to do that and he surely didn’t have to upload it as a remix.
you could call it a copy if you want - although as i stated before this is a well known shape that has been used countless times - you cannot call it a remix, as that would be an adjustment from existing source files
are you going to call yours a remix as well, given that shape is already widely used?
I think there is a difference between designing something that combines characteristics of a category of products (a clip will look like a clip) vs something that has exactly the same features, footprint, and general aesthetics of one specific product.
Everything we design is inspired by something that came before. I agree with that. My gripe in this case is that it is not inspired by some clips; it is solely inspired by mine.
There is no law forcing him to credit me, I wouldn’t be able to force him. He was, in fact, nice to do so. And I think this sort of attitude makes this community better.
are you going to call yours a remix as well, given that shape is already widely used?
That exact shape is not widely used, there is no other 3d printable clip as close to mine as this one. You will either find that the general dimensions are different, the exact features are different, or the aesthetics are different.
I agree. But these days platforms (Especially MakerWorld) discourages open licenses (the Exclusive program) or remixes (not eligible for contests or Exclusive program) while for me it is one of the lovelier sides of the design and maker community. But these days, even real remixes, are often not listed as such because of the negative side effects
don’t get me wrong, i do like your design as i had stated earlier, it looks great, but there are other options made quite a while back out there like someone pointed out earlier, and i could swear i’ve seen that style in amazon, but that doesn’t take away from it, it’s your take and i respect that
the thing is stating it as being a remix, and that it isn’t - a remix is a very clear concept, you get a source file (usually people that allow remixes share the step or even the cad file) and someone builds upon the exact geometry
you can indeed say it’s very heavily inspired - or basically a copy, i’m not saying that it makes it right, i have to deal with my share of these types of situations to understand the frustration, but we can’t call something what it isn’t, and seeing as the stylistic elements that bring it above the functional side are different, that’s why i think it does not hit a copyright infringement
that being said, and as mentioned before, someone interested will do a search, options will be there, and people will naturally choose the better one - at least that is what i optimistically hope
I’m gonna be blunt. OP bullied that person into switching it to be a remix. Their model wasn’t a remix. That photo shows a different model.
Indeed. No one is saying it’s right, but still, it’s a copy, not a remix.
Truth is, we live in a world with so many people, so many ideas. Originality is a difficult thing to do these days. We build off of each other constantly in all sorts of ways. Originality comes out more in our expression of those ideas and concepts, rather than the ideas and concepts themselves.
Working in the video game industry. How much originality do you think actually goes into the process of making the art? so much is kit-bashed, reused, repurposed. I’m not merely talking about re-hashed stories and IPs like COD, but rather, even in the deepest of beloved games is a treasure trove of reuse, of repurpose, of being inspired by anything and everything. Rarely is there something so new. Mostly it’s expressions of an idea retold, and it’s those expressions that gain fans.
I think about these things a lot in the 3d printing community. People try so often to own basic ideas and concepts, even despite an amazon search showing how woefully unoriginal that base idea can be.
This space is just going to get more and more crowded. There’s dozens and dozens of ideas I’ve had over the years that I’ve seen no one working on. These days, it’s a minefield. I see so many things being made, put out there. It’s extraordinary, it’s cool. It’s a little discouraging sometimes, because like what’s left me to make?!
Well, tons of stuff, and I can still make my ideas a reality. Just because someone else did it, doesn’t mean I can’t do. Doesn’t mean there isn’t room for both of us.
Room for all of us.
Some of our ideas may not get as much traction as others, but that shouldn’t take away from our self worth, or make us bitter enemies of others. It’s just. It’s life.
Check this out. I made this case to go with my swatches. Pretty neat.
Then check this out! Someone in the comments called the dude out too, saying they should set it as a remix to mine. Uhh, like no. That is a sweet, awesome as can be, fresh design. It totally barrows my base concepts and ideas. His model is gonna surpass mine in numbers. It’s a cool model.
Maybe that’s a little more exciting and understandable of model being inspired by then what we’re looking at with this clip. At the end of the day though, it’s the same thing, even if the inspired model isn’t as inspired as you’d hope it to be.
For what it’s worth, OP, your model is superior. I see several aspects of your design that highlight that superiority. There’s a couple of little elements within your design that make it stand out.
It’s (the other designer’s model) a meh copy and doesn’t belong in the exclusive program, regardless.
