Does anyone know if it is possible to file physical objects under creative commons or something similar? I don't want to make money off anything I make, I want to show the public how to make it and if someone uses one of my creations for a not for profit cause then all the better. That being said I also don't want someone else profiting off something I have created. Any suggestions would be great!
Electronic – Creative Commons for physical objects
legallicensing
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Best Answer
I understand your concerns, but even if you were able to protect your ideas (see @endolith, @jluciani) you would still face the "make me" crowd. That is, people who will make money off your design anyway. When you remind them that they can't (if you've gone through the effort and expense of a patent), they may just say "make me". Then you have court costs on TOP of everything else. Sure, if it's a clear-cut case you may be able to get a lawyer to take on your case without charge (knowing the reward will be huge), but it's still an incredible time sink, and that's if you're lucky.
I'd say, just go ahead and say your work is under the spirit of the license. People may try to make money off of it anyway, and by just putting it out there you save yourself a lot of time, money and effort. Honestly, you're more likely to get some consulting side gigs out of it if you build something really cool. Of course, that's my opinion on the subject and it doesn't really give you the answer you were looking for.