Locks (and laws) keep honest people honest... so as much as I like Ken's suggestion of some sort of secure pdf... if you hand over prints to someone there is no reason they cannot photocopy / crop whatever they want in order to have someone else bid it... and in the end - folks who want to cheat / shop / etc... will do so, regardless.
I'm curious - for the average customer, assuming a typical frame design - would you back up the secure PDF / copyright / guard dog with legal action if they were 'shopping'? Or would you invoke the lawyers only if someone built your design (and knew about it, and could prove it)?
I could see this for commercial work / creative work / design competition - but how unique would your work have to be to make it worthwhile to go after it in the courts? I'm thinking about barn frames or the typical NE timber frame...
Laws need teeth behind them to make them work - and in these instances they need lawyers and courts to sort it out. And honest people will see your notes and verbage and keep it legit. Folks who are wheeling or dealing... well - maybe not so.
Regardless, it doesn't change the 'suck' factor when this happens.
Last edited by bmike; 12/22/09 02:10 PM.
