KVR Audio

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 11:49 am

adamtrance wrote: I havent decided if it will be free or not. I was thinking of 30€ ish, but if asking money for "ripping off" then I dont want to risk anything. If its free Roland cant complain coz Im not making profit from it. I guess I could release it free, and put a popup screen on it, and if people find it useful they can donate to have the popup removed. So they are not paying for the synth but the removal of the popup. There is nothing illegal about that.

None of that matters at all. If they put a cease and desist order on you,what are you going to do ? Fight them ? So it really doesn't matter if it's illegal or not. All that matters is: can you afford to fight them ?

synaesthesia · Post by **synaesthesia** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:16 pm

One mustn't make the mistake of thinking that you have to be making money from something to be in breach of copyright.

There are a number of good 'skinners' on KVR who I'm sure would help you out just fine in return for a copy of the synth!

WOK · Post by **WOK** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:37 pm

adamtrance wrote:I havent decided if it will be free or not. I was thinking of 30€ ish, but if asking money for "ripping off" then I dont want to risk anything. If its free Roland cant complain coz Im not making profit from it. I guess I could release it free, and put a popup screen on it, and if people find it useful they can donate to have the popup removed. So they are not paying for the synth but the removal of the popup. There is nothing illegal about that.

For an infringe it indeed doesn't matter it's free or not.
Just don't use "Roland" or "Boland" or something similar, don't use the word "Supersaw" (yes, it's registered) or exact copy logo fonts with JP-xxx or so, and better don't make an exact copy of the UI (it may look half similar though, because no company can patent ADSR-sliders or a blue case....)

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:43 pm

I hear people say - Oh, they can't sue, it's not quite like 'x'... Here's the real question - Do you have deep pockets to put a lawyer on retainer to help fight the legal battle? It doesn't matter who's right or wrong, at the end of the day, it's about who has the deeper pockets. Roland has a history of protecting their IP; I don't blame them, I would protect my products too. Is it worth raising their ire and getting caught up in a legal battle?

IMHO, change the GUI, change the name to something like "MonsterSaw" or "MegaSaw" or something like that to represent what the synth does, but ditch anything that resembles the Roland JP80x0 synthesizer. That way, you'll sleep easier at night.

Devon

stk · Post by **stk** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:58 pm

Sounds very nice.
Oh, and Roland? f**k them and their corporate swine

. Only way bureaucracies change is people standing up to them \m/

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 1:02 pm

WOK wrote:"Supersaw" (yes, it's registered)

Couldn't find an entry in either EU nor US trademark databases. So I'm either blind or it isn't registered there.

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 1:27 pm

damn it, i'm exited about a commercial synth again. please go gentle on my wallet

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 1:53 pm

I think (I'm not clear on this) as long as you don't make the logo look like Roland's & have the name kind of off you're okay. Also, you can't call it a supersaw - that's why I called mine a 'supasaw'. I'd take the safe route & not charge for it. I believe if you don't profit from it, Roland doesn't have much of a case.
You might name it for a moon of Jupiter. It has 63 of them. Some are already taken by synths. You can look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Jupiter
Good luck. The sound examples are choice. Can't wait to play with this.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:28 pm

osiris wrote:I think (I'm not clear on this) as long as you don't make the logo look like Roland's & have the name kind of off you're okay. Also, you can't call it a supersaw - that's why I called mine a 'supasaw'. I'd take the safe route & not charge for it. I believe if you don't profit from it, Roland doesn't have much of a case.
You might name it for a moon of Jupiter. It has 63 of them. Some are already taken by synths. You can look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Jupiter
Good luck. The sound examples are choice. Can't wait to play with this.

I would choose "Ganymede", it's the biggest one or "Io" as it's only two letters...

adamszabo · Post by **adamszabo** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 4:48 pm

Thank you everyone for the feedback. I think this is what I will do, I will call it JP6K, Roland has nothing to do with that, and I will keep the sliders and knobs, but I will make a different colored design.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 5:21 pm

Ingonator wrote: I would choose "Ganymede"

That name is taken. There is a VSTi called that already.

synaesthesia · Post by **synaesthesia** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 5:33 pm

How about Zeus: King of the Greek gods? Since Jupiter is the king of the Roman gods... just a thought!

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 5:47 pm

adamtrance wrote:Thank you everyone for the feedback. I think this is what I will do, I will call it JP6K, Roland has nothing to do with that, and I will keep the sliders and knobs, but I will make a different colored design.

Great solution! Although having the original color (minus the sparkle) as an Easter egg of sorts

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:06 pm

adamtrance wrote:Thank you everyone for the feedback. I think this is what I will do, I will call it JP6K, Roland has nothing to do with that, and I will keep the sliders and knobs, but I will make a different colored design.

They'll still contact you. If you can look at something and go 'Ya, wow, that looks a LOT like 'x' ' then you need to change it. Why the burning need to copy someone else's hard work? I don't get that. Seriously, just change the GUI, change the name, and move on. But hey, if you like playing with lawyers, it's your life and finances at stake. Many of us have already watched this play out with Roland before on here over the years. It's not like we're speculating, we already know.

And no, I'm not trying to be a jerk either. But it's like we're screaming 'don't run on the freeway, a semi will run you over' and people don't listen.

Devon

bwwd · Post by **bwwd** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 6:10 pm

But please dont make it like regular gui made in paint, make it so it looks like a hardware with real knobs ,cause many guys like it,including me,it looks nice to have synth which looks like hardware rack.

JP6K 1.7 update (64 bit)