"There is a moral right to own that which you have produced."
Sure. You produce a tool, it's your very own tool. You produce a painting, it's your very own painting. You produce a pie, it's your very own pie.
Ralph sees your Very Own Tool and decides that'd be handy. Ralph knows taking your Very Own Tool would deprive you of your property and decides he won't do that. Not to mention it's a physical item and the law has something to saw about theft of physical items. So Ralph, being the upstanding citizen he is, makes another tool just like yours - his Very Own Tool. Ralph's also a bit of an extrovert and tells everyone about this great new tool and other people want one. So Ralph sets about making more of the tool you designed to sell to other people.
Do you have the right to be upset at Ralph for making money off your idea without compensation to you?
Controlling copying of your creations is what copyright is about. It says that with respect to certain works, you as the creator own the right to make copies ... or to license other people (or companies) to make copies.
P.S. Now don't get me wrong - I understand that a tool design is probably best protected by patents. Maybe this "tool" is a sculpture that's also useful to accomplish a task. My argument is about "intellectual property" in general.
Sure. You produce a tool, it's your very own tool. You produce a painting, it's your very own painting. You produce a pie, it's your very own pie.
Ralph sees your Very Own Tool and decides that'd be handy. Ralph knows taking your Very Own Tool would deprive you of your property and decides he won't do that. Not to mention it's a physical item and the law has something to saw about theft of physical items. So Ralph, being the upstanding citizen he is, makes another tool just like yours - his Very Own Tool. Ralph's also a bit of an extrovert and tells everyone about this great new tool and other people want one. So Ralph sets about making more of the tool you designed to sell to other people.
Do you have the right to be upset at Ralph for making money off your idea without compensation to you?
Controlling copying of your creations is what copyright is about. It says that with respect to certain works, you as the creator own the right to make copies ... or to license other people (or companies) to make copies.
P.S. Now don't get me wrong - I understand that a tool design is probably best protected by patents. Maybe this "tool" is a sculpture that's also useful to accomplish a task. My argument is about "intellectual property" in general.