Beaufort wind scale reproduction

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Hi,

I am seeking some IP help here. Does anyone own the rights to the Beaufort wind scale? I know its reproduced in varying forms all over the www. I am thinking of reproducing it in a project, that may one day be for sale. I know Waggoner Cruising Guide reproduces it in a for profit venture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

Thanks for your input.
 
First of all, the Beaufort Scale was developed by a person in the Royal Navy, as you indicate in your reference. In addition, it was updated regularly, to accommodate technological changes as is also indicated. It's not a publication, but a description of sea state. It has been quoted, described and discussed in innumerable publications, all sold for profit. I assume that it would be like copyrighting Ohms Law, nice thought but impossible.

You could perhaps patent it, but not copyright it.

As always (I certainly enjoy this statement,) you should consult your own copyright lawyer.

Boris
 
Boris,

I want to reprint it with due credit. I dont want to Copyright it.
 
As Boris wrote, the scale itself has long passed into public domain, however.....

Adaptations, such as specific phrasing, layouts, graphics, and markup may still be subject to copyright, as will the form in which it is presented. A good example of this would be various bibles which, although the original content is public domain, still maintain copyright on their specific translations and editions.

You should be able to use the Beaufort Scale all you want, but you should not copy someone else's presentation of it unless have their consent in writing.

If you have any more specific questions please let me know.


David B
 
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