Whats with the hate twords Smart Parts? [Archive]

Kevmaster

02-09-2004, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by ramenjames
(i heard its something about them trying to patent electros)
:confused:

basically, they claim to have a patent on all electronic markers made. Therefore, everyone else who has made one over the past ten years or so has done so in violation of their patent. Thus, they are suing for damages.

Good business, bad ethics

ramenjames

02-09-2004, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by Butterfingers
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/message?forumid=9013&messageid=1058942255

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

OH MY GOD! SP is going to ruin the paintball industry!
:mad: :mad: :mad:

Athius

02-09-2004, 05:59 PM

It is just something stupid that many stupid people complain about. That's all.

tony3

02-09-2004, 06:00 PM

Originally posted by ramenjames

OH MY GOD! SP is going to ruin the paintball industry!
:mad: :mad: :mad:

And another tool is formed...

ramenjames

02-09-2004, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by tony3

And another tool is formed...

dude why do you think everyone is a tool?
i have seen you replie with tool like 53 times (in other threads) i meen dont tell me your opnions are totally orginal or wernt influanced _even alittle bit_ by someone else

PBCapo

02-09-2004, 06:06 PM

Originally posted by ramenjames

dude why do you think everyone is a tool?
i have seen you replie with tool like 53 times (in other threads) i meen dont tell me your opnions are totally orginal or wernt influanced _even alittle bit_ by someone else

THANK YOU! Tony3, grow up

painball

02-09-2004, 06:18 PM

Well technically SP does own the patent covering the first electro pneumatic paintball gun, which was the for first shocker design made. Except the patent was too broad and covered EVERY electro peumatic paintball gun. There's really nothing anyone can do about it now.

Butterfingers

02-09-2004, 06:21 PM

actually they just broadened the patent recently after the fact...

Effectively STEALING the rights to every electro ever made with a loophole.

The SP patent for the shocker was fine...

Everybody started making markers that were diffrent then smart parts decided hmm... lets edit our patent...

The edited it to include all electronic markers 10 years after the original patent...

Effectively stealing all other designs that fall under the broadened patent.

It would NEVER stand up in court... however SP is trying to make it as expensive as possible so that smaller companies will stay out of court.

Kevmaster

02-09-2004, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by ramenjames
OH MY GOD! SP is going to ruin the paintball industry!
:mad: :mad: :mad:

I think thats a slight misoverstatement....

:rolleyes:

Butterfingers

02-09-2004, 06:29 PM

"SP files a patent in '96. The original patent never issues, but they file continuations and/or CiPs on the parent. In the mean-time, they build their markers and allow others to do the same. At the time, nobody else realizes that they're infringing on a patent because until recently, pending applications were confidential (this is no longer the case). So, they continue this process for a while until a big enough market exists, and then they finally allow one of their patents to issue. Now, they have a whole market that is infringing on their patents that they can sue. Sneaky, no?"

Quoted From FAQ

Bolter

02-09-2004, 06:42 PM

very sneaky.

baka

02-13-2004, 12:51 AM

Originally posted by Butterfingers
"SP files a patent in '96. The original patent never issues, but they file continuations and/or CiPs on the parent. In the mean-time, they build their markers and allow others to do the same. At the time, nobody else realizes that they're infringing on a patent because until recently, pending applications were confidential (this is no longer the case). So, they continue this process for a while until a big enough market exists, and then they finally allow one of their patents to issue. Now, they have a whole market that is infringing on their patents that they can sue. Sneaky, no?"

Quoted From FAQ

If everything use said is true and is offered as evidence against SP in court, there's no way that they can exume any damages done to them from other competitors( which is BS, b/c i don't think their hurting for buisness at all ). Thats something Bill Gates would do if he was in the paintball industry. SP needs to wake up and realize their idiots and greedy. for shame, for shame....

Ratzo

02-13-2004, 01:46 AM

Last thing I heard was that SmartParts serverd AKALMP just before Christmas.
AKALMP is not taking it, and is fighting it just like they did with WGP.

-=Squid=-

02-13-2004, 10:28 AM

Originally posted by Ratzo
Last thing I heard was that SmartParts serverd AKALMP just before Christmas.
AKALMP is not taking it, and is fighting it just like they did with WGP. Which is the case... but I havent heard anything about this case in a long time :confused:

Anybody have updates with the AKA/SP case?

angelbeast24

02-13-2004, 11:41 AM

It is just something stupid that many stupid people complain about. That's all.

yeah if u were to read sp would have made all the electro guns cost almost 3 times as much b/c of the on/off for example if u were to wanna buy an angel speed instead of payin 700 ur lookin to pay over 3000 soo maybe next time it isnt soo stupid

Crighton

02-13-2004, 12:01 PM

What happend to the SP vs ICD suit ?

Evil Bob

02-13-2004, 12:46 PM

Another important tidbit is that this isnt the first time that the Gardners have been involved in patent fraud, they got in trouble before by scamming people out of their money and ideas outside of the paintball industry.

These guys know the patent laws well enough to shop their scams around and find someone stupid enough to allow them to broaden their patents and manipulate the loopholes.

-Evil Bob

evan123

02-13-2004, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by Crighton
What happend to the SP vs ICD suit ?

They settled outside of court for a large sum of money. You want to know what they did next? Filed a lawsuit against AKA products. My guess is that there taking out the smaller companys and then probably going for WDP.

spantol

02-13-2004, 01:35 PM

I'm told that there's not a lot happening right now--the lawyers are just "doing their thing." When there's something worth reporting, it'll be posted to the AKA Forum on PBNation, and probably appear here shortly thereafter.

Originally posted by -=Squid=-
Anybody have updates with the AKA/SP case?

Athius

02-13-2004, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by angelbeast24

yeah if u were to read sp would have made all the electro guns cost almost 3 times as much b/c of the on/off for example if u were to wanna buy an angel speed instead of payin 700 ur lookin to pay over 3000 soo maybe next time it isnt soo stupid

3K for an angel that will never happen.

There are federal laws against monopolies u know.

tony3

02-13-2004, 05:13 PM

Originally posted by PBCapo

THANK YOU! Tony3, grow up

Ehh, search my posts, I can't remember once calling someone a tool, maybe once or twice? Anyways I'm damn well sick of all this people saying BOYCOTT TEH SP!!111! When one person tells them, sp is sueing companies over an electro marker patent. Everyone says boycott sp, but they are shooting freak barrels, using maxflos, and shooting imps and shockers. If you were truly going to boycott something I think youd never use them again and destroy them, not re sell them. Also the thing that cracks me up is the people that are getting anti sp symbols milled into their freaks. You are walking around shooting a sp product with anti sp symbols on it? Yeah that makes a whole lot of sense. It seems the cool thing nowadays is jump on the anti-sp bandwagon. SP has went after quite a few companies, they all have settled with sp, it wasn't that big of a deal. Hell, I bet 95% of paintballers haven't heard about this patent or frankly don't care.

evan123

02-13-2004, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by tony3

Ehh, search my posts, I can't remember once calling someone a tool, maybe once or twice? Anyways I'm damn well sick of all this people saying BOYCOTT TEH SP!!111! When one person tells them, sp is sueing companies over an electro marker patent. Everyone says boycott sp, but they are shooting freak barrels, using maxflos, and shooting imps and shockers. If you were truly going to boycott something I think youd never use them again and destroy them, not re sell them. Also the thing that cracks me up is the people that are getting anti sp symbols milled into their freaks. You are walking around shooting a sp product with anti sp symbols on it? Yeah that makes a whole lot of sense. It seems the cool thing nowadays is jump on the anti-sp bandwagon. SP has went after quite a few companies, they all have settled with sp, it wasn't that big of a deal. Hell, I bet 95% of paintballers haven't heard about this patent or frankly don't care.

Take a bit out of the ownage pie everyone. Lol. Its so true. I mean who honestly cares about the SP boycott because they are making money more then you ever will. If your a company and want to make money you go and sue other companys and make even more money. Honestly SP makes good quality products but just have messed up moral values. Do you think not buying there product will matter. In the scheme of things you probably not buying there gun makes them lose almost nothing because its the businesses that sell SP who will end up getting hurt. They buy the guns from SP and then they sell them. SP already makes there profit when they sell there guns to the businesses. Plus they make millions off the lawsuits. Think about it and relize that boycotting isnt going to do a damn thing.

cockermongol

02-13-2004, 07:54 PM

I just don't understand why some people are just "willing" to let Smart Parts take control of the electro market. Those of you who say "boycotting does nothing" and "don't jump on the SP-bandwagon" need to realize the truth - SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE! Of course it's a "bandwagon" because 90% of the paintball players who know of the actions of Smart Parts do not agree with what they are doing. Whether or not they boycott Smart Parts is a different issue, but the fact is most people hate Smart Parts because of what they've done/are going to do.

Garrum

02-13-2004, 07:56 PM

If the majority of paintballers would get together and completely stop buying SP merchandise, then a boycott would absolutely have an effect. When there is 15,000 items from a particular company just sitting on shelves and not moving, it tends to get people's attention.

That said, I am not conviced that PBers in general are able to control themselves enough to effect a boycott. I mean, most of us are afflicted with the worst case of "shiny gadget" disease imaginable. Company X comes out with a gun that is 1.5 oz. lighter than least year's model, and we go ape****. It doesn't matter if you CAN'T EVEN FEEL THE DIFFERENCE from least year's model. It is new, so that makes it better. And it is probably more shiny too. That makes it even betterer.

Smart Parts needs to be put in their place. What they are doing is uncalled for in a community like paintball. The competition is not THAT cutthroat. They have been selling gear all along, and doing pretty darn good at it. No need to completely soil their name just to make a few more million. But it remains to be seen whether or not a hobby that is swamped with immature people can pull itself together long enough to say what needs to be said clearly.

cockermongol

02-13-2004, 08:02 PM

Allow me to prove my point about how ignorant some people can be (most of whom own SP guns and blindly defend the company who produces them):

Originally posted by evan123

Take a bit out of the ownage pie everyone. Lol. Its so true. I mean who honestly cares about the SP boycott because they are making money more then you ever will.

And the amount of money they make/have matters because....?

If your a company and want to make money you go and sue other companys and make even more money.

Sorry buddy, but companies don't just go out an sue everyone they can to get more money. There are things called "business ethics" but judging by your post, I doubt you've ever heard of it.

Honestly SP makes good quality products but just have messed up moral values. Do you think not buying there product will matter.

Whether or not Smart Parts is GOD'S GIFT TO PAINTBALL in quality (which I, among others, would disagree) it still wouldn't matter because what they are doing is wrong. I think if everyone stopped buying SP products their company would not last long.

In the scheme of things you probably not buying there gun makes them lose almost nothing because its the businesses that sell SP who will end up getting hurt. They buy the guns from SP and then they sell them. SP already makes there profit when they sell there guns to the businesses.

When the businesses learn that people no longer want Smart Parts equipment, you'd be amazed how fast they stop buying from SP wholesale...

Plus they make millions off the lawsuits. Think about it and relize that boycotting isnt going to do a damn thing.

Again, the fact that they're getting money from the lawsuits is what is making everyone hate them. So by that statement alone you have proved me right.

BAM!

tony3

02-13-2004, 08:47 PM

Ok Cockermongol, now disect my post:rollseyes: Also cockermongol, evan does not own a sp product, he doesn't own 1 sp product(I think), and I own a freak barrel. Please don't say I blindly defend a company, because I can say you blindly go against a company. I'm not a sp loyalist. The only sp product I own is a freak barrel just because it came with the gun I bought used, it probably wouldn't even have been my first choice. I believe everyone is blowing the sp lawsuit out of wack. Numerous companies have settled and there gun prices went up pretty much zero. I believe ICD's new bushies might of went up a little, but not the 125-500 dollars people were saying before

Originally posted by Garrum

That said, I am not conviced that PBers in general are able to control themselves enough to effect a boycott. I mean, most of us are afflicted with the worst case of "shiny gadget" disease imaginable. Company X comes out with a gun that is 1.5 oz. lighter than least year's model, and we go ape****. It doesn't matter if you CAN'T EVEN FEEL THE DIFFERENCE from least year's model. It is new, so that makes it better. And it is probably more shiny too. That makes it even betterer.

You just proved my point exactly. Paintballers in general aren't orgainzed or united to form any type of real boycott, thats why I just hate when people say "Boycott SP!"

Garrum

02-13-2004, 09:19 PM

Tony3, when people say boycott SP, they are trying to get us to band together. They are trying to inspire some action against a company that is doing something that it really should not be doing. When you say that you hate it when people say "Boycott SP", you are in effect saying that you hate it that we are trying to drum up some unity in the PB community. You aren't against that are you?

Echo419

02-13-2004, 09:24 PM

I'm in a pissy mood so ima make a statement of my opinion in a pissy way

Smart parts, is a great company, no one should fregin Boycott them, there awesome. None of there products are poorly made at all. And so what if there trying to get the electro marker pattent. Its a frekin company there running who doesnt wanna be a millionare. there not just this higher power that already has money. And im anti-electro markers in the first place. So i hope that they win and none of u anti-SP people buy an electro!

So there. whatever

tony3

02-13-2004, 10:46 PM

Originally posted by Garrum
Tony3, when people say boycott SP, they are trying to get us to band together. They are trying to inspire some action against a company that is doing something that it really should not be doing. When you say that you hate it when people say "Boycott SP", you are in effect saying that you hate it that we are trying to drum up some unity in the PB community. You aren't against that are you?

The fact is though, that 75% of the people that say that are saying it blindly. How many put that in their sigs because they saw other people do it? We here on AO represent a small percentage of paintballers in the world. I have yet to hear one person complain about the sp patent at the field. Hell, I only know one person that knows about it and guess what he posts here.

cockermongol

02-13-2004, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by tony3

The fact is though, that 75% of the people that say that are saying it blindly. How many put that in their sigs because they saw other people do it? We here on AO represent a small percentage of paintballers in the world. I have yet to hear one person complain about the sp patent at the field. Hell, I only know one person that knows about it and guess what he posts here.
Save your breath. You'll need it to blow up your date!

Garrum

02-14-2004, 12:41 AM

So, because it's tough to get paintballers to work together for something other than a two man bunkering move, than we should just give up? It's too much work, and my tummy hurts?

*The ship rolls in the stormy water, lightning arcs through the blackened sky as rain sheets across the figures standing on the deck* "WHAT!? WHAT!? Where are my sailors!? Where are my men!? For it is no difficult thing to see that these mewling dogs standing before me are not MY men! They are not MY sailors! " *Melodrama Meter rising fast* "MY sailors relish a challenge! MY sailors crave the battle and the storm! To rail against the evil on the sea! To rail against nature HERSELF!" *Melodrama Meter smoking heavily, as the dial is pegged out* "If you are not one of my sailors, then throw yourself from the deck of this ship. Throw yourself into the sea, so that you shan't suffer another moment with your own soul rending cowardice. End your torment, and suffer no more.*Melodrama Meter explodes from the overload*

But...

If you ARE my sailors, then know that your Captain respects you more than he respects the sea. More than he respects himself." *Sailors cheer, their courage ignited* "I knew I hadn't lost my sailors. Oh, one more thing... be mindful of where you step. The watch in the nest tells me he has spotted rainclouds. Might be getting wet soon"