Smart Parts Patent Will Destroy Paintball! - Read!

[No sKiLLz]

Originally posted by Johnny_Reb
If you ask me SP is sending a serious message to the players"DONT MESS WITH SP!" Now if SP could do this to other companies this could psyche out alot of players. Ppl wont feel safe buying non SP electros, thusly resulting in increased gun sales for SP.

Whatever you are smoking, Johnny, please be good enough to share with the rest of us. And for your own good, don't fall asleep in economics class.

BTW, just cuz some of your local buddies picked up a few shockers back in the day doesn't mean the majority of the paintball world did.

[Johnny_Reb]

The problem here is that Smart Parts did not invent either of these. Do a patent search yourself and you will see what we mean!

If you had to do a search to figure out who invented the first electro chances are SP has a good chance of winning the case.

[845]

Originally posted by Johnny_Reb
Lol didnt you hear robert SP patented electricty

and Al Gore invented the internet

[Johnny_Reb]

BTW, just cuz some of your local buddies picked up a few shockers back in the day doesn't mean the majority of the paintball world did.

Well actually none of my friends own shockers but thats besides the point. If you knew anything about the past of paintball(which youve alrdy proven you dont) you would know that Shockers were very popular when they were relaesed.

[No sKiLLz]

Originally posted by Johnny_Reb
If you had to do a search to figure out who invented the first electro chances are SP has a good chance of winning the case.

Wow. Any comments? Anyone?

[Trauma]

I agree that its total bs that smartparts is trying to pull this off, but for everyone that actually owns an electro right now, you have nothing to worry about, I mean they aren't gonna take it from u and give u an impulse or something

[Conqueror]

Another point worth mentioning is that SP didn't even have the first paintgun with a switch. All shockers that were produced under an SP-only patent came with no on-off switches until several years after the start of the "electro revolution".

Something you all may be forgetting to take into account is the ever-present threat of out-of-court settlements. SP no doubt has a large legal budget, one which may outweigh the entire operating budgets of some of the companies which are going to come under fire due to this new patent expansion. Faced with paying a royalty on each marker and raising the prices on their guns, or losing gangantuan amounts of money in legal fees to try and defend themselves, some may choose the former over the latter. I'd be more worried about companies tanking from exorbitant legal fees than the actual lawsuit itself... there's too much prior art and pre-existing technology for the patent to stand before a competent judge, not to mention the shady pasts of the Gardners and George Davidson - which are relevant in such a trial.

CQ

[Webmaster]

I havent read this whole thread - but it doesnt surprise me. Its status quo. The have been quietly in the process of suing people who I consider friends at ICD.

They fail to innovate - only impersonate.

Furthermore - if they try to enforce thier broad patent they are personally kicking every person in the sport square in the nuts.

Tom Kaye, Tippmann, Palmer, Orr - they all have made inventions in this sport that caused it to grow and progress as a whole. They didnt capitalize on it - they allowed thier innovations to be used and bring the sport out of the stone ages.

I think doc nickle has a great post here:

http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/message?forumid=9013&messageid=1058842375

Personally - I have been anti smart parts for 3-4 years.

And if they most to further enforce their patent - I give them a big heafty screw you.

[No sKiLLz]

Originally posted by Johnny_Reb
Well actually none of my friends own shockers but thats besides the point. If you knew anything about the past of paintball(which youve alrdy proven you dont) you would know that Shockers were very popular when they were relaesed.

Where's your proof? You have no idea how long I've been playing paintball. Popular in what sense? http://www.ivillage.co.uk/ivillageuk...182561,00.html Here, try this real quick.

[snoogans]

as part of the celebration, i took my hard to get time to make a special picture for us all! take a looksee!

[rx2]

A lot of people here seem to be under the assumption that this needn't be taken seriously as SP would not dare do something like that. I think that is being a bit too optimistic.

While many lawsuits are frivilous and poorly thought out, it would be safe to assume that this is not one of them. Consider that the SP guys have experience with patent law. Also consider the position they are in. Now, I can not imagine that such a company would not have thought out and weighed the benefits vs. the potential losses. We here were not the first to think lawsuit = boycott. You can bet they have already factored in the possibility that there would be a large segment of the buying public that would be very angry with them, and I am sure they know how far some are willing to go. They know full well that they may take a hit intially. However, I am sure they have been busy analyzing their sales trends, and have probably reasoned such that
A) The hit they take won't be big enough to cause significant fiscal harm, such that they would be threatened in any way
B) The hit they do take would be negated many times over by the potential profit they will make.

Now, I can't speculate on how this will pan out. However; I may be pessimistic; I must assume that IF SP plans to carry out this suit as we have been speculating, they not only feel confident that they can and will win, but that any negative publicity and initial loss of sales would be absorbed and negated in the long term.

To distill things, I think that unless we are all frighteningly proactive about this, SP WILL sue. The suit may not end they way they wish, but they will certainly try.

[Ov3rmind]

AGD really should patent compressed air for paintball guns, then SP can bow down from it's Nazi perch and kiss AGD's ***.

This is terrible, any company who takes money over the sport they market for does not deserve a profit at all. From here on out, I will NEVER buy a single SP product ever. And just incase and SP head honchos stumble across this, I am going to advise everyone I play with and other people at my local fields to do the same.

[No sKiLLz]

Originally posted by Conqueror
Another point worth mentioning is that SP didn't even have the first paintgun with a switch. All shockers that were produced under an SP-only patent came with no on-off switches until several years after the start of the "electro revolution".

Something you all may be forgetting to take into account is the ever-present threat of out-of-court settlements. SP no doubt has a large legal budget, one which may outweigh the entire operating budgets of some of the companies which are going to come under fire due to this new patent expansion. Faced with paying a royalty on each marker and raising the prices on their guns, or losing gangantuan amounts of money in legal fees to try and defend themselves, some may choose the former over the latter. I'd be more worried about companies tanking from exorbitant legal fees than the actual lawsuit itself... there's too much prior art and pre-existing technology for the patent to stand before a competent judge, not to mention the shady pasts of the Gardners and George Davidson - which are relevant in such a trial.

CQ

If the defendant wins the suit, the plaintiff has to pay all legal fees on both sides of the table. FYI.

[snoogans]

SMART PARTS...THE DEVIL IS COMING FOR U, THE QUIJA BOARD SAYS SO!!!

[No sKiLLz]

Originally posted by rx2
A lot of people here seem to be under the assumption that this needn't be taken seriously as SP would not dare do something like that. I think that is being a bit too optimistic.

While many lawsuits are frivilous and poorly thought out, it would be safe to assume that this is not one of them. Consider that the SP guys have experience with patent law. Also consider the position they are in. Now, I can not imagine that such a company would not have thought out and weighed the benefits vs. the potential losses. We here were not the first to think lawsuit = boycott. You can bet they have already factored in the possibility that there would be a large segment of the buying public that would be very angry with them, and I am sure they know how far some are willing to go. They know full well that they may take a hit intially. However, I am sure they have been busy analyzing their sales trends, and have probably reasoned such that
A) The hit they take won't be big enough to cause significant fiscal harm, such that they would be threatened in any way
B) The hit they do take would be negated many times over by the potential profit they will make.

Now, I can't speculate on how this will pan out. However; I may be pessimistic; I must assume that IF SP plans to carry out this suit as we have been speculating, they not only feel confident that they can and will win, but that any negative publicity and initial loss of sales would be absorbed and negated in the long term.

Ur missing the point. If SP wins, they are under NO obligation to produce anything. They collect royalties and licensing fees from other people who care enough about making markers to continue, and the most effort they ever have to exert is walking to the mailbox to pull out the check (unless they have direct deposit).