I've got it, now what do I do?

[captainpecan]

I think I have figured out an extremely easy way to harness free energy. Very easy to duplicate. I have a prototype that has proven my concept, yet it is so damn small, due to lack of materials and money, I am not confident with my tests to actually claim it truely works, or that it will even work any period of time yet.

BUT... While I'm scrounging up materials, to finish this, I would really like to know the proper steps to get this thing out there. Can anyone explain the GPL to me better, and how I go about getting it? I thought the GPL was only for software, and not think you could use it for a free energy generator? I'm sure I'm wrong, but I simply dont know anything about it, and I want to start taking the steps to getting this thing protected for everyone.

Also, with a GPL, can it be set, so that it is free for everyones personal use, but if a company builds it for profit, a small percentage would have to be paid to the owner? Would that violate the overunity prize adding that into the liscense? 

Also, I have heard that the U.S. Government has thousands of patents for free energy devices, hidden. I'll be honest, this is simple as hell, and I would be shocked if nobody has ever done this before. What happens if I apply for a GPL, and a patent was already issued, for one tiny piece of it, and hidden? The whole damn thing would become illegal to produce wouldn't it?

Anyway, I just need a little help from someone who may have already gotten a GPL before, and knows what's required. I dont have much money, and honestly I'm a bit scared to give any details of what I'm working on for fear someone will patent it that can afford to, and screw me, and everyone else here, by not releasing the info.

So what do I do? Hell, maybe I'll find out like everyone else always does that something has been overlooked and my multimeter is not reliable, or whatever. But the fact is, assume I did, or any one of us did it. What the hell do we do then?

Thanks for any help.

[FreeEnergy]

if you haven't read Open Source Vs. Patenting (found here: http://www.overunity.com/index.php?topic=1821.0) then i don't know what to tell you... 

[broli]

Is it scalable? Have you duplicated it? Is it a closed loop?

As for the gpl licensing check out...

http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

What might pop up at first is;

Developers that use the GNU GPL protect your rights with two steps: (1) assert copyright on the software, and (2) offer you this License giving you legal permission to copy, distribute and/or modify it.

And;

Can I use the GPL for something other than software?

You can apply the GPL to any kind of work, as long as it is clear what constitutes the “source code” for the work. The GPL defines this as the preferred form of the work for making changes in it.

However, for manuals and textbooks, or more generally any sort of work that is meant to teach a subject, we recommend using the GFDL rather than the GPL.

The following might also help;

The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain three elements. They should appear together or in close proximity on the copies. The elements are:

1. The symbol © (the letter C in a circle), or the word “Copyright,” or the abbreviation “Copr.”; and
2. The year of first publication. If the work is a derivative work or a compilation incorporating previously published material, the year date of first publication of the derivative work or compilation is sufficient. Examples of derivative works are translations or dramatizations; an example of a compilation is an anthology.

The year may be omitted when a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, with accompanying textual matter, if any, is reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or useful articles; and
3. The name of the owner of copyright in the work, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner.*
Example: © 2007 Jane Doe

[Koen1]

Idk, I am more interested in hearing about your idea for generating free energy
than I am interested in telling you how to make people pay for that information.

Please tell us about your claimed discovery?

[broli]

@Koen1: Are you that ignorant that you forgot to read? He wants to be sure his idea won't end up as a patent or not be free. There's a difference between sharing some ideas you have laying around and an idea you think works completely (not saying his does). I fully respect his will to stick a gpl license on this so it becomes free for the people.

@captainpecan: You also don't have to be that paranoid. If you share it here and get confirmed replications there will be no question about the source. Patents take way to long to process to be able to "steal" it. So just stamp a copyright notice on the the images/diagrams/drawings and share  .