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Build Your Own Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Posted by michael on from the puts-other-build-your-own-stories-to-shame dept.

I don't want to spen writes "For all you fans of nanotech out there, a friend just posted me a link to instructions for building a scanning tunnelling microscope, from the University of Muenster. Interestingly, their licensing terms sound open source-ish to me: '(... We grant everybody the right to construct the microscope using the here-published design for private or educational purposes. On these web pages all necessary diagrams, drawings, material descriptions and software-source-codes are published for free access. While granting the right to build the microscope we make it mandatory that new developments, improvements or other applications of our design are also made openly available for private or educational purposes...)'"

7 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. a free slot for ISA cards by frovingslosh · · Score: 3, Insightful
    the measurement computer must have a free slot for ISA cards.

    Well, I still have this covered, but not many of my friends do.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  2. They would have a hard time enforcing it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    To put limits on use you need a patent or a contract, so in this case that means a contract ... which means they need a click through license, which they dont have.

    Just publishing a seperate license without requiring agreement before downloading is unlikely to stand up.

    1. Re:They would have a hard time enforcing it by fireman+sam · · Score: 2, Insightful

      But isn't this just the same as if I went to sourceforge / freshmeat (whatever) and downloaded a GPL'd application. I can get the source without going through a click through license. I can also compile the source without seeing any contracts.

      By your logic I can do anything I want because I didn't explicitly agree to the GPL and never signed anything that stated I would not use the software if I didn't agree to the GPL.

      --
      it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
  3. It's a stupid license anyways by QuantumG · · Score: 0, Insightful
    We retain the exclusive right to sell construction-kits or fully assembled devices based on our design.

    And yet they don't actually offer fully assembled devices. Way to go, prohibit people from making a buck off your design just to make yourself feel better and remove the possibility of someone who wants one of these puppys from getting one unless they're willing to build it themselves from scratch.

    We grant everybody the right to construct the microscope using the here-published design for private or educational purposes

    So I can't even get the geeky neighbourhood kid to build it for me for $40 because that would be "commercial purposes". Plan. If I want 200 of them I can't take the design to a local manufacturer and pay them to do the tooling. Great.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
    1. Re:It's a stupid license anyways by Xzzy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Talk about a classic example of looking a gift horse in the mouth.

      You're getting this information for FREE. It hurts you not at all to have such a 'stupid' license, because previously, you didn't have the information at all. By every imaginable definition of the concept, you have more available to you now than you did previously.

      You have no justification for being so bitter. In this era of jealously defended "intellectual property", ANYONE giving anything away deserves commendation.. not derision.

  4. Re:open source-ish? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    *sigh* Another RMS brainwashee.

    You're one of those people who when a restaurant gives a free lunch gets pissed off because you can't sell it to another customer.

    There is no out right theft. You don't have to build one of these STM's. If you want to, then follow the license. Otherwise go somewhere else and shut up. This group is offerring you something for free. Just because they aren't also giving you the keys to their car or their house doesn't make them evil.

  5. You've gotta love /. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Somebody shows us how to build a home STM, and all the questions and comments are about GPL licencing! Hey kids, this is a very cool project. It lets us look at really small stuff!

    Why would I want to? The same reason I have one of those desktop gyroscope toys and a slinky. Its neat.