Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat
Well know London based 4x4 Supplier rumoured to have q....
SteveG:
--- Quote from: Tyke ---
--- Quote ---I'm not condoning copying other people's ideas, but
Generally what is happening is called competition, and it helps to keep the prices down for all of us. If it wasn't there and designers could fully protect their products there would likely be a 'monopoly' and that is always bad as it drives product prices artificially high. It is healthy to promote competition as it makes the designers strive to produce the best product that they hope will become the market leader thus ensuring their continued success in the marketplace.
We as consumers have a choice - we pay our money and take our pick.
If we choose the wrong one, from quality, cost, ethical or other considerations, then thats our problem.
--- End quote ---
I think the point here though is there was an existing business relationship between the two companies. The owner also stated at the start of this relationship that they would not rip off the design. This company has chosen to copy the design, sell it at a higher price purely to make more margin.
They are doing it to make more money, not benefit the enthusiast with a lower price.
The fact that they had an existing relationship when they did this gives me personally a really bad view of their business ethics and for this reason I would never do business with them again or advise anyone I know to do so.
That's why it's different.
Steve :D
--- End quote ---
Tyke:
--- Quote ---I think the point here though is there was an existing business relationship between the two companies
--- End quote ---
Interesting point mate. I worked for a company that was owned by two partners and a similar thing happened. A gentleman's agreement was made when they split their separate ways that one wouldn't copy the other. However, the 'other' quickly broke his word and claimed that as he was a partner in the original business then he had the right to reproduce designs made by the company during the time he was with them as they were joint designs and he had direct input to the design in the first place.
As no legal rights to the design existed he went ahead and did his best to undermine the original company and it's product. To this day the 'other' company still markets a very similar piece of equipment, (talking about industrial machinery and process plant here), claiming that there are loads of other cometitors in the market producing what is basically the same equipment.
A very tricky situation for those concened and not knowing the in's and out's of what happened I would reserve judgment on the case you cite.
Credit for your loyalty to the one who you believe has the sole right to produce the kit though. True brand loyalty there mate. Given the same situation I would probably feel the same. It's all about ethics and morals and how we feel with ourselves at the end of the day.
In the case of the personal situation I described above, I now work as designer for another company making . . . . . . Yep!!! a variation on the design that caused all the trouble in the first place :lol:
Such is the design and engineering business mate . . . very cut-throat . . . . ethically it's sad but true :wink:
wibble:
just a quicky...
first, thanks for the link to the other threads... have now worked out the 'offending company' and will be placing by hard ernd' in someone else's pockets in future
second, thanks to the mods for doing what they do, it is far beyond my tech knowledge and i admire them for their time, patience and little bit of decent space on this e'r world wide web.
third, easy one this... if you don't like the site... go else-where.. not difficult,
forth and last, please don't slag off the mods, i am sure constructive comments are welcom but winge's just 'p' them and other users off with negative attitute, it is contagious and is not for the better of the club.
i have not been around for a while as i'm a little ragged off with the whole 4x4 thing at the mo. wot with anti's doing their thing, the goverment doing its and the disco breaking down three times (complate new air suspension anyone??. intenal arguing and winging of lost posts etc get really anoying after a while and can put ppl off this otherwise enjoyable part of motoring
littlepow:
You only have to change 30% of a product to get around copyright/patent laws. This can be as simple as changing colours or materials used.
On a happier note,
Thanks to the Mods and Admin gurus for a good site. :)
matthew:
--- Quote from: "Thrasher" ---Bullfrog,
The thread wasn't pulled, but there are people who run this board that cannot allow things like this (current situation) to be published on a board they are responsible for.
Mud-club is free to join, granted, however - if the supplier decided to come after all the boards spreading this information, who do you think would be liable, and who would have to pay?
Not the people posting - but the owners of the servers/boards.
--- End quote ---
And what you say on a forum or in chat rooms matters just as much as any other published medium.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/23/internet_libel_payout/
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