Originally posted by Pope Dnewma IV: This has been a pretty informative thread, thanks for the opinions on both sides.
About the copying thing, I just keeping thinking to myself that all i read is about packaging issues and how little room there is. Seems to me that this would really limit the amount of ways the headers can be designed. I would rather have a good design than have have WR [censored] things up with a piss poor design just to be original. Seems counter-intuitive to me.
They could actually have made a great design by doing a little research on the SHM headers, and taking a shot at copying those. Since SHM gave up on their headers, WR would have gotten the equivalent of a free pass, most of the R&D done for them. Just a little effort & 0 controversy. But no, they had to take the super easy route, beg for a set of MSDS from some enthusiast board, and make direct knock-offs. I have no respect for a company like that.
Why did SHM give up on headers? If I am going to copy one or another, I suppose I would be looking at copying the more successful model. In either case, you are still copying, where do you draw the ethical line? Copying is great, as long you copy from a defunct product line? Seems like splitting hairs. Don't worry, I take the same stands with some products, as well. I understand where you are coming from with your argument. It's essentially the same reason I don't buy products from DEI.
It is one thing to copy a design that is no longer being offered - it's not a viable choice for anybody that may want to purchase. I welcome WR in a case like this - it give us choices & nobody is being hurt.
MSDS is a going concern & their design was still available for purchase. WR doing their thing has a direct impact on the people that did the work to come up with that design - I have a huge problem with that. Maybe what WR has done is legal. Maybe MSDS didn't patent their design, maybe they didn't specify all materials in their patent, so WR could legally copy the design & use different materials - whatever. I still see it as shady at best, & criminal in the worst case.
SHM was before my time, but from what I gather they were long tube headers. SHM, or whoever, was charging $1250 for the set. Then along came Marty with the MSDS shorty set for half the cost. I would expect SHM was getting few sales at that price & when MSDS came along, they were the death knell as you might imagine. Could be that SHM has a better process for protecting their intellectual property & WR couldn't copy without paying royalties - who knows...
