Apple III power supply schematic copyrights - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: thexeno
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 04:43:54 pm
content: Hi,I wanted to post something on my blog about old power supplies, and I found a very nice example for what I want to write about, which is a schematic for the Apple III computer (which will going to be used up to some revisions later).I found it as a reference of this article, at the reference #65:http://www.righto.com/2012/02/apple-didnt-revolutionize-power.html#ref65I now wonder: is this picture a public domain? I know that a content produced on a website, can be asked to re-post it. But in this case is a link, to a source which is scanned, hence I don't know how to behave here. Any suggestions?

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 06:35:31 pm
content: The details of copy right law depend on the country. AFIAK at least in the EU the drawings itself fall under copy-right and are generally not free. Small excerpts may be possible as a citation. However things are boarder line here.However the circuit itself usually is not protected by copy right but if at all patents may apply here, that could limit the use as a circuit, but not the drawing. So to be one the safe side one could redraw the circuit in your favorite modern drawing tool.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 07:50:28 pm
content: A lot of the time copyright isn't about if it matches the letter of the law, it's about who cares, and how much money they have to care with.

author: chris_leyson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 08:10:41 pm
content: There is an interesting teardown of an Apple iPhone charger on Ken Shirriff's bloghttp://www.righto.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-quality.htmlThe 11 turn auxiliary winding uses a huge wire gauge to fill the bobbin length and therefore acts as an electrostatic shield winding. It's interesting to note that the outermost winding is probably also used as a shield winding.

author: thexeno
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 10:30:31 am
content: Quote from: Kleinstein on May 22, 2019, 06:35:31 pmBut what does that mean? Redrawing the circuit and saying that I took it from an Apple schematic, is kinda using a pirate DVD that was copied from a previous pirate, so I never had the original. It is still pirate, unless "I come out with the schematic on my own".Quote from: Ampera on May 22, 2019, 07:50:28 pmSo probably no one will ever care.Thanks to all with the related answers, at least I know it is not a trivial matter.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 10:38:28 am
content: Quote from: Ampera on May 22, 2019, 07:50:28 pmAnd Apple have a *lot* of money.How much they'll care about a schematic from 20+ years ago, I have no idea.Quote from: thexeno on May 23, 2019, 10:30:31 amBut what does that mean? Redrawing the circuit and saying that I took it from an Apple schematic, is kinda using a pirate DVD that was copied from a previous pirate, so I never had the original. It is still pirate, unless "I come out with the schematic on my own".Nah, it's more like watching a film and then remaking it with the same script but different locations.