Smart Parts is at it again

[tallen702]

Originally Posted by JesterTLS

Tallen, I gave up on Tippmann's forum a long time ago.

I left for some time, basically from early '03 until about last year. Almost everyone who used to post there is gone and traffic is way down. Don't even get the flurry of new posts around Christmas like you used to.

[gfgjester]

Originally Posted by tallen702

And I agree, btw, about this being a wonderful conversation! Definitely beat correcting erroneous information over on the Tippmann forums all day.

I could always just post our Pro Shop sales figures for the past three years on SP vs. others. Again, it's as you said, subjective information and dependent on areas of the country and personal preferences... And I never found anything erroneous on the Tippmann forums... ack! cough! gasp!

[SirRod]

Lawyers will be Lawyers....

Last time I was on the "Tippman Forums" they were as dead as the occupants of my cemetery...

[Litespeed]

Originally Posted by gfgjester

I could always just post our Pro Shop sales figures for the past three years on SP vs. others. Again, it's as you said, subjective information and dependent on areas of the country and personal preferences... And I never found anything erroneous on the Tippmann forums... ack! cough! gasp!

But again, as I stated earlier, I would conceded your numbers on the past three years, this was post (or near) the 04 suit on the stacked tube electro pneumatics....so the competition was not quite what it should have been.

We were talking Imps and Shoeboxes, and I definitely agree with Tallen's comments regarding 99. Even the early oughts, SP didn't dominate market share like they have post 04.

Great thread on MCB on this Smart Parts with huge breakthrough! - Page 18 - mcarterbrown.com


Oh, and hey jesterTLS... The promaster can take a revvy, i've done it, but it takes some work to get the setup correct. Out of the box, you need a force feed for sure.

[Grendel]

I think getting this out in the paintball magazines would be a good idea. The main thing would be not to write an anti-SP article but an informational article on the Patent process as it has/does/will apply to paintball with citing relevent patents and controversy. If it is written from a neutral stance, well written and researched I'm sure some of the magazines would pick it up. Now if it is written as an anti-SP article they [magazines] really would be forced to not take the article because of their advertising customers and potential liable issues.

Another thing to hit with these articles would be engineering/technology magazines and journals since the principles here in paintball would directly apply to other product types. The more publicity provided to this issue in a well thought out and mature fashion will place more and more pressure on the USPTO to reveiw this application and others along with reviewing already granted patents.

The big thing is if the paintball community wants to do something about this issue it will have to be well researched and handled maturely. This is dealing with the Federal Government and it's bureaucracy. They will not tolerate much unprofessionalism. Also do not expect fast reaction. A patent application can take years to process and normally does.

So any of you budding journalists wanting to take this on ??????????

[Litespeed]

^^ Agreed. Contrary to popular belief, SP isn't the only one playing games. KEE has tried to patent certain "words". I remember the SpecOps bid to patent certain words as well....

Many, many more examples. Since companies have felt the wrath of the SP suits, some have taken note and started to play dirty as well.

[JesterTLS]

Not just them. Oklahoma D-Day copy writing "D-Day" in conjunction with paintball.
Not crazy about that. I understand why they did it, but still dont mean I have to like it. The plain and simple truth is SP wants to be the only one in the game. Some people have delusions of world domination, SP is one of those companies.

[tallen702]

While I spent 6 hours at the USPTO the other day researching evidence to present to the examiners, I noticed that Kee just patented a blatant rip-off of the Apex barrel just this year. It's going to be a busy time with the 501(c) that Steve Davidson is setting up.

If anyone wants to check it out, Bill Gardner jumped into the PBN thread at around page 30 or so to try some damage control. So far he's floundering, and we're on page 44 now. Doc N. Just jumped into the fray as well. Now all we need is Tom Kaye and we've got the grudge match of the century going on.

[Grendel]

Originally Posted by tallen702

...It's going to be a busy time with the 501(c) that Steve Davidson is setting up...

I'm quite sure I can not wait for Steve to get some basic structure set up. I've already set aside some money to donate and if I can get my articles on Patents published I'll donate all proceeds. I also will donate my time in research efforts (I actually love to research pretty much anything, it's the writing afterwards I dread).

I've even thought it might be helpful, for the future, to create a "Paintball Technical Journal". This would give an avenue or vehicle for "published technical artwork" in the industry and follow-ups on new and past patents/innovation. Something along the lines of a quarterly publication in hard copy and .pdf that people could buy with the proceeds going to the 501(c).

I really do think a 501(c) setup and ran right could be a great asset to paintball in general and to be specific innovators in particular as resource and an hopefully unbiased watchdog of the industry.

[gfgjester]

We were talking Imps and Shoeboxes, and I definitely agree with Tallen's comments regarding 99. Even the early oughts, SP didn't dominate market share like they have post 04.

True, true... OK, I concede! And now, they do it again with the upcoming release of a new marker... Amazing diversionary tactics!

CANT WAIT FOR THIS WEEKEND! BEAR THE CLAW!

Originally Posted by Grendel

I've even thought it might be helpful, for the future, to create a "Paintball Technical Journal". This would give an avenue or vehicle for "published technical artwork" in the industry and follow-ups on new and past patents/innovation. Something along the lines of a quarterly publication in hard copy and .pdf that people could buy with the proceeds going to the 501(c).

OUTSTANDING idea!