DANGER! DANGE!R DANGER! with Student edition submissions for projets.

[Art Mann]

Rich, I will take your word for it but that is not what the original poster said. Maybe you should address his post.

[Rich Harman]

Rich, I will take your word for it but that is not what the original poster said. Maybe you should address his post.

In the original post he said that Solidworks said that you "can" be held liable. Meaning that if certain conditions are met, then there is reason for them to take action. A legitimate student edition user trying to get parts made would not be reason for them to be concerned. Someone running a business on student software would be a reason.

[Kev Williams]

A student can Art as part of their student work, what is not allowed is for somebody to use a Student version of the software to create a file they wish to use for commercial purpose. My wife is currently doing a degree in Criminal Psychology so has access to a lot of student software available to her via Microsoft and others, if she want's me to 3d print something for her for her studies from a file version created with said student software that is legal, if I use her software though and then proceed to try and market or sell the end results that is when the law is broken.

That's because YOU know you're not supposed to market a product from her student software,

BUT- if she doesn't reveal the source of her files and simply pays YOU to make the product that SHE markets, then SHE is guilty of fraud, and YOU are guilty of nothing.

My point is this: people supply me with PDF's and blueprints and drawings and whoknowswhat daily. My job is to build/make/fabricate/manufacture/engrave/etch/paint etc. etc., whatever the prints and drawings specify me to do. I have no idea if any of these drawings or their contents are stolen or pirated. And as long as I DON'T know, even if they are, according to the law, I can't be held liable.

It's when I DO know, that I'm liable.

A few years ago I received an order for 100 small aluminum plates. The text was simply "MADE IN USA". I found out thru some internet conversation that my customer planned to put these plates on parts that he was having shipped in from China.

As soon as I found out, I cancelled the order.

But what if I'd never found out? Would I have been guilty of anything?

[Michael Kowalczyk]

So going back a few posts. I would think that if a student wanted a proof of concept or prototype (a 1 off) that it might be permissible but very expensive. Wanting 3000 of them is a different ball game. It is my opinion that it is our responsibility to do our due diligence on files that may infringe or violate copy rights or are licensed products. Go ahead and try to sell am NFL product without a license and see what happens. if anyone disagrees don't be surprised when you get the knock on the door by a process server.

To Rich
I believe I did mention that the PDF I received had a Watermark,(on all 3 pages) that clearly said it what am Academic version of Solidworks. if you have ever read a TOS of an academic version it usually states that they can not be used for commercial production ( I am paraphrasing) Rhino I think is one of the only Cad apps that has an easy upgrade path from Academic to commercial use software.

[Dave Sheldrake]

But what if I'd never found out? Would I have been guilty of anything?

If you can show that a reasonable person would have no realistic way of knowing then you are protected...Having files that have "Academic Use Only" all over them probably isn't going to end well if you use them commercially.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

I am not sure but I believe that the student can not export a working prt file so that is probably why the PDF with the watermark is used. I read somewhere that a student version prt file can not be opened in a full blown solid works app.

[Rich Harman]

I am not sure but I believe that the student can not export a working prt file so that is probably why the PDF with the watermark is used. I read somewhere that a student version prt file can not be opened in a full blown solid works app.

It can be opened but you will get a message telling you that it is an academic version and that once edited, the academic version can no longer open it.

[Rich Harman]

To Rich
I believe I did mention that the PDF I received had a Watermark,(on all 3 pages) that clearly said it what am Academic version of Solidworks. if you have ever read a TOS of an academic version it usually states that they can not be used for commercial production...

I would certainly question them about using an academic version, if it is a business, then obviously you wouldn't accept the work. But there are certainly users that legitimately use the academic version, they deserve to be able to get stuff made - as long as they are not making a business out of it.

[Dave Sheldrake]

I would certainly question them about using an academic version, if it is a business, then obviously you wouldn't accept the work. But there are certainly users that legitimately use the academic version, they deserve to be able to get stuff made - as long as they are not making a business out of it.

+1...yup this would be how I would do it

[Paul Phillips]

This is a fairly honest group of genuinely good people here on this forum, but my experience with a company I worked for a few years back is that although they knew it was illegal, they regularly used straight up pirated copies of Corel, Photoshop, Flexisign and others, at one point I got so fed up I totaled all the illegal software to be around $20K and confronted the owner with the info, his response was "it wasn't hurting anyone", "they can afford it, they make millions" and "it's only illegal if you get caught". That kind of mindset is really out there and it boggles my mind!

[Jerome Stanek]

One of the companies that I used to work for used Pirated software and got caught it cost them a lot ore in fines than the legal copies would have.

[John Coloccia]

How can you be expected to know all of the nuances of all their different licenses, including the ones you don't own? I'd love to see that go to court, just for entertainment value.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

read the TOS... if it looks suspicious then it probably id. If they submit a PDF of a 3d item for a quote but can not get you the actual 3D file that throws up a red flag.

[Dan Hintz]

read the TOS... if it looks suspicious then it probably id. If they submit a PDF of a 3d item for a quote but can not get you the actual 3D file that throws up a red flag.

Then what would be the point of the quote? If they can't get you the file, it means you'll be recreating he item, so you charge accordingly.

[Curt Harms]

This is a fairly honest group of genuinely good people here on this forum, but my experience with a company I worked for a few years back is that although they knew it was illegal, they regularly used straight up pirated copies of Corel, Photoshop, Flexisign and others, at one point I got so fed up I totaled all the illegal software to be around $20K and confronted the owner with the info, his response was "it wasn't hurting anyone", "they can afford it, they make millions" and "it's only illegal if you get caught". That kind of mindset is really out there and it boggles my mind!

One disgruntled employee (or ex-employee) with a cell phone or email account and Oh Boy.

https://reporting.bsa.org/r/report/a...rc=us&ln=en-us

https://reporting.bsa.org/r/report/u...onditions.aspx