[robinsonb5]

Not a lawyer either, but:

> What if I take the design, print it, include the thing in a staged photo, and sell prints of the photo?

Probably fair use, provided the design wasn't the main focus of the photo, but merely part of the "set dressing."

> What if I skip the printing and use the design files as a basis for a rendered photo or animation?

> What if I print the design, then use a 3D scanner to recreate a file from the physical artifact?

Those questions are simpler - both scenarios would be derivative works of the original files, so covered by the license.

[dec0dedab0de]

but are those derived works copyrightable? I don't think they are.

[robinsonb5]

Copyright law forbids the creation of derivative works (excepting any region-specific fair-use rules) so you're only allowed to create them under the rights granted to you in the terms of the license - thus under this particular license you can't make commercial use of derivative works.

[dec0dedab0de]

But is a physical item a derivative work of it's technical specifications?

If the design files qualify for copyright protections, then modifications to them would clearly be derivative works.

I don't think it is clear if the keyboard itself would be a derivative work, as it almost certainly can't be protected by copyright. This is what patents are for.

[thereisnospork]

Ianal, usual disclaimers, etc.

The design files don't qualify for copyright protections, they describe the design which (maybe) qualifies for copyright protections.[0]

The artistic design of a specific keyboard can certainly be copyrighted, but not the functional nature of it.

[0]The exact wording might be protected, but not the factual information contained. Sports scores, or say measurements of a keyboard, are not copyrightable items as they are just facts, though their presentation might be.