Open-source furniture?
I've been throwing this idea around for a little while: What if furniture was open-source? Not necessarily giving away finished products, but allowing anyone to obtain the 'source code' aka manufacturing drawings?
Following the open-source definition for software, you would have to allow anyone to freely redistribute the manufacturing drawings, or sell any copy or derivative of the design provided your name as the originator of the design was clearly indicated. Of course, you would have to have anyone obtaining the manufacturing documentation agree to follow the 'use license' to have any semblence of legal rights, should a company knock you off and flood the market with your designs without giving due credit (although I admit, any legal standing would more than likely be undeniably flimsy).
If you are that worried about being knocked out of the market by a knock off being the better product, you are on very shaky ground to begin with. With the internet, and proper documentation, it would be quickly apparent who was cheating the customers, and one hopes that customers have enough respect for designers to purchase the authentic product if they know that knock offs are on the market. For niche-oriented and decidedly non-mass-appeal products, another company is unlikely to mass produce a product that you are selling very small numbers of anyway (and they're likely to fold soon enough, even if this happens).
But as a way to help out or inspire another human being that admires your work, why wouldn't you give them an incentive to produce their own copy or (gasp!) make a worthwhile improvement to it? Very few people have access to the tools, raw materials, or well-honed skills that it would take to produce a quality piece of furniture - and those that do probably won't be a potential customer, anyway. If anything, open-sourcing a furniture design is a way to get your product into someone's home when there is no chance of them purchasing it. Although, if your definition of success revolves around amassing large amounts of money through selling a product, its still not going to seem like a good idea...
I've been throwing this idea around for a little while: What if furniture was open-source? Not necessarily giving away finished products, but allowing anyone to obtain the 'source code' aka manufacturing drawings?
Following the open-source definition for software, you would have to allow anyone to freely redistribute the manufacturing drawings, or sell any copy or derivative of the design provided your name as the originator of the design was clearly indicated. Of course, you would have to have anyone obtaining the manufacturing documentation agree to follow the 'use license' to have any semblence of legal rights, should a company knock you off and flood the market with your designs without giving due credit (although I admit, any legal standing would more than likely be undeniably flimsy).
If you are that worried about being knocked out of the market by a knock off being the better product, you are on very shaky ground to begin with. With the internet, and proper documentation, it would be quickly apparent who was cheating the customers, and one hopes that customers have enough respect for designers to purchase the authentic product if they know that knock offs are on the market. For niche-oriented and decidedly non-mass-appeal products, another company is unlikely to mass produce a product that you are selling very small numbers of anyway (and they're likely to fold soon enough, even if this happens).
But as a way to help out or inspire another human being that admires your work, why wouldn't you give them an incentive to produce their own copy or (gasp!) make a worthwhile improvement to it? Very few people have access to the tools, raw materials, or well-honed skills that it would take to produce a quality piece of furniture - and those that do probably won't be a potential customer, anyway. If anything, open-sourcing a furniture design is a way to get your product into someone's home when there is no chance of them purchasing it. Although, if your definition of success revolves around amassing large amounts of money through selling a product, its still not going to seem like a good idea...
posted by aaaaaron at Thursday, July 06, 2006
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