Copy and Paste

[chimaera]

I wonder if anyone is possibly interested in this kind of topic, since I don’t remember seeing any article or comment regarding it. I’ve been playing for a relatively short time and that might be the reason why; anyway, it’s needless to say that beside “patented” models of specific boats, whose design and study is conducted by a certain brand, there are also products normally available on the market which somehow, explicitly or implicitly, present the same characteristics belonging to the original ones; well, this is an euphemism to say that they are copies of the models “to which they are inspired”. It does happens with many manifacturers in my country, and as far as I’ve seen, there is a remarkable difference between original boats and copied ones ( basing on all parameters, patented models are always one step ahead). I’ll cut it to the chase; beside that original products are supposed to be better, so no wonder they really are, is anyone aware of a good result achieved by a manifacturer trying to make a canoe similar to an original model? I was about to purchase a boat “inspired” to the patented one, and I jus’ wanted to know if the situation is any different in other countries, or if there’s still a huge gap even on the other side of the boarder. Thanks.

[MarkP]

if someone has built an inspired boat ie ripped off the design then it is mainly the purchasers principles that should be called into question. see if you can follow this through and yes I know it won't be popular. If you take something without asking, that the owner would not wish for you to take, then is generally called theft. certainly if you take a car without asking then you would have committed a crime. furthermore if you then sold that car on to your friend. They would have purchased stolen goods which is also a crime so whats the difference on principle to stealing someones concept or idea. I assume that theft is the same in any country. thats just my thoughts

[chimaera]

I have never bought one of those boats I was talking about, I was just asking about their possible quality, if any one knows. As for the morality of buying a not original boat, I actually don't understand why there's no legal procedure to preserve the copyright for this cases or, if there is, seems like it's never applied. However, I think distinctions should be made depending on how "inspired" a boat is to a certain model. Sometimes they use it as a mere reference or example, other times they try to make it the closest as possible to the patented canoe. Anyway, I appreciate your opinion, which would be easy to follow if I was not a broke student. But I promise I'll do my best to be good :D

[clyde]

I think both of you have good comments.



From someone who is involved in the design of Polo Boats and Paddles, I understand that if you change a certain amount of the original then you could say it's something new.

I don’t' have a problem with this. However, I would suggest about 25% of the performance orientated areas would need to be changed for it to be different.


I don't think that's too hard.

However, there is a large enough company in Spain who ripped off two of my boats and just put a semi-circle (ark) on the deck in front of the cockpit.
That was the only change I noticed.

Certainly, that’s not a performance related area.



Performance related area to me means: a part of the boat which will be affected by the paddler’s efforts to move it! Most of that would be the Hull or front/end/sides of the boat.

This means cosmetic areas of the deck simply make it very easy to spot a copy and just make me want to take a very large object and throw it on this copy from a great height !


Normally, morst original manufacturers have easily identifiable construction methods, and the copies are mostly cheap and often poor attempts to sell something well short of the original.

Clyde

[chimaera]

Well, to be honest this debate didn't go any different than what I thought. i do agree than choosing a patented boat, on which people dedicated time and effort is the most fair choice indeed. However, I also kinda think that if the prices of the original boats were less expansive in the first place, this problem would have just no reason to exhist, and nobody would be damaged. And I can't even buy a "copied boat" after all this discussion, cause I'd feel guilty...

[Patrick]

However, I also kinda think that if the prices of the original boats were less expansive in the first place, this problem would have just no reason to exhist, and nobody would be damaged. And I can't even buy a "copied boat" after all this discussion, cause I'd feel guilty...

This is how forgers and thieves around the world justify their stealing of intellectual property. "I cannot afford to pay what you're charging?" This is not a valid justification for theft.

It is an expensive sport, but developers of quality equipment deserve to have a competitive chance to hawk their wares without being ripped off. There are many challenges to any business proposition and for small companies, the threat of losing revenues to unscrupulous copiers is even more difficult since they almost never have the funds to battle these crimes in court.

Just my $0.02.