Concretly you put somewhere a label on the image (or file) that is GnuPGed as warning or you don't put anything
and wait some people use your files / image without permission ?

Hi Pilou,

as example: For my Bubo and Bugi bunnies, where i provided the models
for free download (for-non-commercial usage) i digitally signed the model
file with a detached signature (a separate signature file) with GnuPG and
then i time stamped the signature file. So when someone downloads my
model file he/she can use it freely, for non-comercial use, but he/she can
easily verify that *i* signed* the model file and with verifying the time stamp
(he/she can use the time stamp service and upload the time stamp
file and the signature file) they know that i signed this model file at a certain
time. Should someone remove those files and distributes the model file later
i can easily proof that my original .zip archive (with the model file
and the time stamp and signature file) was distributed without all the
other files included.

*the GnuPG signature can't be faked or cracked. My public GnuPG key
is also certified by a German Certification Authority and the procedure
used to certify my GnuPG key can not be faked either, unless of course
someone is capable to crack and copy the new German ID Card and
steal the passphrase of my GnuPG secret key.

The time stamp file is also registered in the Bitcoin blockchain and this
data can't be removed from the blockchain or been manipulated later
in the blockchain.

Regards
Stefan

About BitCoin / Block Chain you pay something for this process ?

<< i digitally signed the model file with a detached signature (a separate signature file) with GnuPG
concretly there are 2 files ? Model + signature file : have you a link to your example ?

Hi Pilou,

normally one has to pay fees for Bitcoin transactions... BUT in this
case the free time stamping service i use (see the link in my previous post)
is FREE!!! and their servers send the data into the blockchain. :-)

Ooops. forget the link...

https://www.behance.net/gallery/67543855/Bubo-Bugi

When you download the .zip archive there is the .3dm model
file included and the the signature file and the time stampfile
(.sig file and .ots file). You simply then verify with GnuPG
the signature file against the model file and can also upload
the time stamp file and the signature file, to the free time stamp
service to check the existence there.

Regards
Stefan

That is curious that a BlockChain can be use free! :)
That takes place and time...

Ok That is more clear- so 3 files! :)


And what is the free time span of your specific free BlockChain ? (for the other process)

Oh sorry Pilou,

i don't understand your question. Can you be more precise
or formulate it in another way, so that i can better understand you?

Regards
Stefan

With the process of BitCoin / BlockChain your object / File is protected an infinited time or for a time given ?

Ah, o.k.

the timestamp data in the blockchain is there forever.

Regards
Stefan

Excellent all is clear now for the theory! :)

Practical must be a little more complex as I see on the https://opentimestamps.org site :)

Ok I tested and verified your file on the BlockChain! (10 seconds) Success!

but first i made a mistake : I have put the .ots ans the 3DM so failure! :)
Must be the .ots and the .sign !

PS does you computer is used for some shared calculated time during this process of protectection of files ?

Hi Pilou,

yes, quite a bit of data can bee seen there when verifying.

But at least we have an easy way to time stamp.

Regards
Stefan

P.S. there are also other time stamping services available,
which don't use the blockchain, but i like this service.

...and you can protect any number of files that you want ? (for free)

> PS does you computer is used for some shared calculated time during this process of protectection of files ?

Well, i have to options. I can put the (.3dm) file into the browsers window or use the client in terminal.

The process to time stamp a file is very very fast. The calculation is done by the servers and the client
receives the data (.ots file).

Regards
Stefan

> ...and you can protect any number of files that you want ? (for free)

Yes. :-) but is it more a a protected proof of my files than a classical
file protection scheme.

Regards
Stefan

So very cool author protection!

From Stefan Model :)
Moi-->SketchUp -->PBR

Cool Pilou! :-)

About protection i must add also one very important thing, which i forgot to mention.

With Open Source security software such a signature acts as guarantee that when one
person verifies a signature it tells him/her that no one tampered the security software
from the original author. GnuPG software and others are using this protection scheme. :-)

Regards
Stefan

Hi Stefan,

Just stumbled over your tips regarding time-stamping, very interesting !

An important and equally complicated topic.

There are different ways to protect intellectual property, like patenting or
registered / unregistered community design. Patenting takes lots of
time and money. "Community Design" (Gebrauchsmusterschutz in german)
is quicker and cheaper, but if you apply in the EU, I guess, it could get
hacked everywhere else in the world.

https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/unregistered-community-design

According to the link above, you must have publically disclosed your design
to legally claim your rights.

Have you done research how much protection a time stamp will give you in real
life, say, you discovered someone is selling products using your design. ?

A friend of mine, although being consulted by a highly qualified laywer went into
bankrupcty after his designs where stolen by very prestigious big companies.

So its not really easy to protect your artwork. You may invest thousands in protection,
then it turns out you cant market it. You dont waste a thought in protection, and
others may make a fortune out of it ...

I would appreciate people with experience in this topic joining a discussion.

TOM

>> To the Admi

It may make sense to transfer this topic to another thread like "Copyright protection"
Just a thought - up to you.

Hi Tom,

> Have you done research how much protection a time stamp will give you in real
> life, say, you discovered someone is selling products using your design. ?

Very good question! I believe that a time stamp when using in combination
with digital signatures* can show third parties that you or someone else
has done a (published) work at that time. Should it come to court etc.
you have a non-fakeable proof that you did that design at that time.

We in Europe have the eIDAS regulation for digital signatures, which
allows people to sign digitally documents where the signatures are
equal like real handmade signatures.

People worldwide can then verify those qualified digital signatures on
.pdf documents with either the free Adobe Reader DC or with a web
based European service.

Sure, the question remains if a court would trust a honest little
freelancer or a well know company, which also "invented" that
design at a claimed earlier date, which they probably can't proof,
like i could with my procedure.

Regards
Stefan

P.S If you like i can prepare a little .pdf with a qualified digital signature,
time stamped with an eIDAS conform time stamping service, so that
you can see how those documents look like and what result a verification
shows, when using the free Acrobat Reader DC or the web based service.