Thingiverse WARNING

[philipy]

Just to finish the story. I sent the Ebay seller an ebay message pointing out that my Thingiverse files were under a non-commercial CC licence and that he had no right to be selling them and please to remove them from sale to avoid me taking it further.
I had no actual reply but he does seem to have removed them from sale, so I guess thats the end of it and a satisfactory outcome.
I can't be sure but I think his list of 'other items' on ebay is shorter than it was when I found my bits on there, so I can't help wondering if he had done the same thing with other Thingi downloads and removed them all after what I said.

[SimonWood]

Just to finish the story. I sent the Ebay seller an ebay message pointing out that my Thingiverse files were under a non-commercial CC licence and that he had no right to be selling them and please to remove them from sale to avoid me taking it further.
I had no actual reply but he does seem to have removed them from sale, so I guess thats the end of it and a satisfactory outcome.
I can't be sure but I think his list of 'other items' on ebay is shorter than it was when I found my bits on there, so I can't help wondering if he had done the same thing with other Thingi downloads and removed them all after what I said.

Happy ending! Obviously it would be better if people were more careful/respectful of copyright and licences in the first place, and to be honest I can't see that a reply with an apology would have been too much effort if this was a genuine mistake - but at least that's a quick resolution, and if you're right about the 'other items' that's and a problem avoided for others whose work had been misused as yours had, and it sounds like a lesson learned for that particular seller!

[FWLR]

Don't worry Rod, no-one was specifically asked for an opinion, it's just the usual sharing of ideas - which is what the forum's about.

That might be because they want to retain the option of realising a design's financial value to help fund their hobby a little, or simply because they like the idea of having something unique on their line...

Cheers,

Andrew

Ok Andrew, you made some valid points. But has for the sharing bit. See your first sentence. This forum is about sharing ideas. I just wish I was capable enough to produce something in 3d that was railway related. I would share everything, because that's me, I think you and all the members know that...

The second sentence says it all for me, sharing of ideas helps us all with the financially with being able to get something that would save us a lot of pounds, even hundreds of pounds. We all can't afford to spend loads of money on our railways, so anything that would help us financially would be great for all of us don't you think. And having something unique is great, but we all do things to whatever we do differently by adding something that others haven't put on the builds to make it unique for them also. It's all about ideas.....

Or is it just for those select group that can do these fantastic prints to keep amongst themselves. Because I see there hasn't been anymore 3d files posted for sometime. Just little things would help us. I am still working on trying to get my own prints , but alas its proving harder than I thought.

I won't give up, because Rik and yourself have given me so much encouragement and I will crack it one day, but until then, keeping things to ones self is selfish I feel and not in the forums spirit of helping others to achieve better things for their own lines..

Still its my head against a brick wall, because I either get blanked or told I haven't contributed so why should we to me. I have asked for help with things which would make a start for me and if the file was kept open so I/we could alter it to our own ideas would go along way to making this forum an even better one. The files could be for example only accessible to members only, so guests couldn't use them and like you and Simon have pointed out, make them non-commercial only...

[ge_rik]

Hi Rod
Your experiments with TinkerCAD have shown how time consuming and tricky making drawings for 3D printing can be. I think it's only right and proper that someone who has spent hours drawing something should be upset by someone else profiting from their efforts unfairly.

Regarding the sharing of files. Like most people on the forum, I am happy to share some of my drawings for free, but I have decided that my more complicated stuff, such as the Southwold coach and the Schull and Skibbereen loco will be placed on a site such as Shapeways where a fee will be charged to download the files. This won't generate me a lot of income, but will give me some return for the amount of time and effort which I've put into designing, drawing, testing, redesigning and constructing the models. I will place links on here to where the files can be accessed.

I too don't have bags of money to put into my modelling, which is why most of my stuff has been scratchbuilt. But, from time to time, I will buy a kit or a loco chassis or other bits and pieces which I don't have the skills to make myself. I pay what I think is a fair price to someone else to have created those things.

Please think carefully before posting messages which appear to criticise other members of the forum for not wanting to share freely things they have worked hard to produce. You are quick to tell everyone what a friendly forum this is. Can we please keep it that way.

Rik

[philipy]

Has for being involved with discussions on how to use files and setting a thread up, I wasn't told or asked for my minion opinion.

At the time of those discussions you had neither a 3d printer nor Tinkercad, so there would have been little point in asking your opinion, anymore than the 1100 or so other members in a similar position.

There is one idea though, is it possible to put files on a kind of general PM thread.

A reasonable thought, however unfortunately PM's can't carry attachments. I know because I've wanted to do that myself in the past.

An option would be to not actually post the stl's to the board, but 'advertise' what is available with a photo and then anyone who wants them to PM the originator.
That is what I was intending to do, by editing my existing posts, before I realised that my platform faces had actually been pirated from Thingiverse not here. However, personally, I still would prefer to trust our members to honour the intent, especially now that all of mine carry CC licences and it is also covered by default in the "Readme" post at the top, but it is always an option for anyone who wants to do that.

[ge_rik]

Another thought

The CC licence allows us to share and redistribute STL files which were uploaded to Thingiverse provided we acknowledge the creator and source. It also allows us to remix them - eg resize them for our scale.

The search engine on Thingiverse isn't the most efficient - it can sometimes takes ages to find something appropriate. If I've read the conditions of the CC licence correctly, members could legitimately upload STL files which we've found on Thingiverse to the forum 3D files section. I've certainly accumulated a few items which I found on Thingiverse which I've found useful.

In this way we will eventually compile a set of resources for our scale in one central location - a sort of one-stop-shop

Rik

[SimonWood]

If I've read the conditions of the CC licence correctly, members could legitimately upload STL files which we've found on Thingiverse to the forum 3D files section. I've certainly accumulated a few items which I found on Thingiverse which I've found useful.

In this way we will eventually compile a set of resources for our scale in one central location - a sort of one-stop-shop

Thingiverse search is awful so a one stop shop would be really convenient. Great idea! And yes, CC licences allow resharing, providing you credit the creator and make it clear the licence you are sharing it under.

But - especially given the issue with the number of file attachments on the forum - wouldn't it be easier and use fewer forum resources to create a (pinned?) thread for people to post just links to 'Thingiverse' finds in? We could add notes too (e.g. printed it scaled up by 167% and with supports, etc.)

[ge_rik]

Thingiverse search is awful so a one stop shop would be really convenient. Great idea! And yes, CC licences allow resharing, providing you credit the creator and make it clear the licence you are sharing it under.

But - especially given the issue with the number of file attachments on the forum - wouldn't it be easier and use fewer forum resources to create a (pinned?) thread for people to post just links to 'Thingiverse' finds in? We could add notes too (e.g. printed it scaled up by 167% and with supports, etc.)

Good idea. I was just concerned that sometimes links become lost if the site is revamped. However, to keep our upload file quota under control links might be worth the risk.

Let's start off with a single thread, but if it gets unwieldy, we might later break it into sections.

Rik

[BorisSpencer]

Easiest way to look for things on ThingiVerse is to actually use google's search with a site clause:

Site:Thingiverse.com <search>

e.g Site:Thingiverse.com 16mm wheel

[-steves-]

Easiest way to look for things on ThingiVerse is to actually use google's search with a site clause:

Site:Thingiverse.com <search>

e.g Site:Thingiverse.com 16mm wheel

Great advice, thank you. Hadn't even thought of that

[ge_rik]

Easiest way to look for things on ThingiVerse is to actually use google's search with a site clause:

Site:Thingiverse.com <search>

e.g Site:Thingiverse.com 16mm wheel

Great advice, thank you. Hadn't even thought of that

Rik

[FWLR]

Has for being involved with discussions on how to use files and setting a thread up, I wasn't told or asked for my minion opinion.

At the time of those discussions you had neither a 3d printer nor Tinkercad, so there would have been little point in asking your opinion, anymore than the 1100 or so other members in a similar position.

There is one idea though, is it possible to put files on a kind of general PM thread.

A reasonable thought, however unfortunately PM's can't carry attachments. I know because I've wanted to do that myself in the past.

An option would be to not actually post the stl's to the board, but 'advertise' what is available with a photo and then anyone who wants them to PM the originator.
That is what I was intending to do, by editing my existing posts, before I realised that my platform faces had actually been pirated from Thingiverse not here. However, personally, I still would prefer to trust our members to honour the intent, especially now that all of mine carry CC licences and it is also covered by default in the "Readme" post at the top, but it is always an option for anyone who wants to do that.

Your'e at it again Philip, no, "Hi Rod", "The reason was" would have been better Phillip don't you think......


I do like your'e idea for PM'ing the originator however, then it would be kept between originator and the member at the time, then if used which I would have thought it would, when completed a little note of acknowledgement of who was the originator would be a lot better I think. Members who do make a file would have it in their own files on their own laptop, PC or whatever they use wouldn't they. There would be no chance of anyone ignoring the copyright then at all would there. If a member did use it for anything else, well if it was me who built the file, that member wouldn't get anymore and could be flagged for it.....

I for one don't put things on FB or anywhere else now. Too many idiots about for my liking.....

[FWLR]

That is also a good idea Boris, using Google. I do like sometimes trawling through Thingi, you find all kinds of wonderful and bizarre things....

[philipy]

Your'e at it again Philip, no, "Hi Rod", "The reason was" would have been better Phillip don't you think......

I'm AT nothing!

[FWLR]

Oh dear......

[-steves-]

Just to let everyone know, you can actually PM files now, I can't recall how many off the top of my head or what size they can be. Just had to make a small admin change as it was set wrong, should work now.