Scotweb Tartan Designer now FREE of restrictions

[Nick Fiddes]

After much thought, we've revised the T&C for our online Tartan Designer system, to remove all restrictions on what users can do with their designs. This applies retrospectively as well as to new designs.

In short, this means that you may use the system to design tartans, and use the results however you like... in particular, this means you can ask any weaver to produce your woven fabric for you. And you will retain all intellectual property thereafter, just as if you'd done so yourself on paper.

Under our new Terms, you may now even ask us to list your newly created design as Restricted, to be exclusively produced by a weaver of your choice. Simply notify us in writing and we will list it as such online, and will not weave it ourselves.

See: http://www.scotweb.co.uk/info/licens...eb-to-produce/ for the main T&C page regarding this. And of course please visit http://www.scotweb.co.uk/tartandesign/ if you want to play with the system yourself.

Incidentally, I should apologise that the long-promised upgrade to the Tartan Designer interface and facilities has not yet happened. We know it's still a bit clunky in places. But our tech team is currently fully committed to a major piece of back-end programming that has to be finished shortly. So this is still high on my list just as soon as we can!

[artificer]

Cheers, Nick!

Were it not 07:30, I'd raise a glass to both you and this decision.

[KFCarter]

I appreciate that change, Nick and look forward to the continuing evolution of the Tartan Designer. I love it and used it to design a just-registered tartan for my family. I don't know about your general experience, but I know that the Designer has brought me to your site much more frequently and brought family members of mine to your site for the first time.

[Danwell]

A very generous gesture for sure Nick.........I can't help but feel you're selling yourself and your software short though. Maybe, if you don't feel comfortable keeping ownership of the tartan entirely, you could charge a nominal fee per woven yard for any tartan designed with your website?

On another note, the handsome gent wearing the MacDonald of Clanranald (??) kilt on you "Balmoral kilt" web page..........can you tell me which version of the fabric it is, and which mill wove it? It looks so much different to all the other photos of MacDonald of Clanranald kilts I've seen, and I can't believe it's just down to a good photographer!

[Nick Fiddes]

Cheers Danwell (and others),

We did consider some such 'half way house' relaxation of the T&C. But after much pondering, we came down to the view that a simple, clear, open position was best for everyone. It means there's no ambiguity, and no administrative overhead for us! Sometimes these things need to be managed contractually. But personally I hate having to deal in legalities, and I believe that in many circumstances what really matters mostly comes down to goodwill and fair play. Our hope, of course, is that without fear of being locked into a closed system, more people end up using the system (and recommending it to others) so that on balance we could make up as much as we lose. So as long as enough people end up making some sort of purchase that it defrays our development costs, we'll be happy.

The tartan you're asking about is this one from House of Edgar: http://www.scotweb.co.uk/sr_swhdr_ta..._show_adv=none

[Danwell]

The way I see it, you and your team have put in a lot of time and effort to get this tartan designer to a point where any dunce (including me!) can use it effectively to design a nice looking tartan. My suggestion was more along the lines of what happens with the Isle of Skye tartan......a surcharge charged on behalf of the designer (or in this situation, Scotweb), so that they receive a "royalty" for any fabric woven. That being said........I can see how it could be a big maze legally, once you've got 2000 different tartans having been finalised and registered. I suppose as a community we want to make sure that companies like Scotweb continue to provide services like this into the future; if there is no financial reward it becomes less likely. Your generosity will certainly be received gratiously though, I'm sure!

On the point of that tartan - it is the one to which I have a direct tie, and I've never been too fond of it. The pictures on your site have changed my tune entirely! It looks fantastic!

[KiltedKnome]

Thank you, Nick -- a very generous action.

[Spc. Scott]

Cheers Danwell (and others),

snip - Our hope, of course, is that without fear of being locked into a closed system, more people end up using the system (and recommending it to others) so that on balance we could make up as much as we lose. - snip

I have to say that with a stance like this I know that if I were to design a tartan (I have played with it a bit) that I would have it woven by you. I'd be willing to bet that it would be the same with many others.

[KFCarter]

I have to say that with a stance like this I know that if I were to design a tartan (I have played with it a bit) that I would have it woven by you. I'd be willing to bet that it would be the same with many others.

I second that. I have designed one and I still plan on having the first run of cloth woven by ScotWeb. At the same time, I appreciate the fact that I don't have to do so, and that I have other options down the road.

[Brian K]

You're a gentleman, Nick, but I think I discovered that a long time ago . In any event, I think that if I ever have one of the designs I've done on your designer woven I wouldn't even think of someone else weave it for me.