The big if....

[punkncat]

Just to play into the fantasy that is SP going away....I am not saying the rumor is true, I am merely playing into a self indulgence of sorts. So let us imagine for just a moment that poof, SP was gone. And poof, no patent infringement issues could/would arise (not going to happen, but play along).

So all of a sudden, all the people who had electronic projects in the works at the time.....all the big and small companies, everyone, could make an eframe again w/o paying a royalty.

Would it even matter? Could paintball be rejuvinated by allowing grass roots companies to develop and produce markers in a free market again?

[Sumthinwicked]

even if sp folds the patents are still the gardners

[jade_monkey07]

i just want to see the dw aedes

[punkncat]

even if sp folds the patents are still the gardners

BAD!!!! You are not PLAYING ALONG!!!!




I send 's to take your booty.

[Sumthinwicked]

ill send guito to take the rug out from ur foot LOL

[mpsd]

Yeah, I believe that the Garners may come out of the paintball business but that won't keep them from earning their "so hard earned money" out of their patents. What I see is that they just did some math and got to the point where the royalties represent some very good percentage of their earnings, and then running the whole business maybe isn't worth all the hassle. They can go fishing and travel the world knowing that they will have their paycheck on their bank accounts without having to deal with the manufacturing, distribuing, marketing and administration of the whole company.

Now, going back to your original question, IF that happens (which I doubt), I do believe that either:

- Paintball would have a lot of new releases in the first couple of years, prices would come down and then the market would regulate itself into two, maybe three companies doing 90% or so of the business again (like it is today).
- Someone else (like Dave Youngblood or the Tippmanns) would fill up the patent forms again and we would be in the same place, now blaming someone else.

[georgeyew]

Aren't patents good for only 20 years? How many years are left?

[mpsd]

Aren't patents good for only 20 years? How many years are left?

Over ten left for sure. And the 20 years can be renewed. Remember Coca-Cola.

[snoopay700]

Yeah, I believe that the Garners may come out of the paintball business but that won't keep them from earning their "so hard earned money" out of their patents. What I see is that they just did some math and got to the point where the royalties represent some very good percentage of their earnings, and then running the whole business maybe isn't worth all the hassle. They can go fishing and travel the world knowing that they will have their paycheck on their bank accounts without having to deal with the manufacturing, distribuing, marketing and administration of the whole company.

Now, going back to your original question, IF that happens (which I doubt), I do believe that either:

- Paintball would have a lot of new releases in the first couple of years, prices would come down and then the market would regulate itself into two, maybe three companies doing 90% or so of the business again (like it is today).
- Someone else (like Dave Youngblood or the Tippmanns) would fill up the patent forms again and we would be in the same place, now blaming someone else.

I have to agree with him. I doubt they would be going out of business though.

[fishmishin]

- Paintball would have a lot of new releases in the first couple of years, prices would come down and then the market would regulate itself into two, maybe three companies doing 90% or so of the business again (like it is today).
- Someone else (like Dave Youngblood or the Tippmanns) would fill up the patent forms again and we would be in the same place, now blaming someone else.

You know you are probably right, but I would hope that these companies would have learned something from SP's fail. I doubt it, but it would be nice. I couldn't even imagine what it would do to the marker market. Unfortunately I don't think it will be the last of the Gardners anyway. I know it won't make a difference as far as how many i would have to work on, there is enough of them out to make absolutely any difference with that for the next 4 years.

[Automagsam]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't WDP share ownership with the patent. One of the pneuventure employees had sued sp and won way back when giving him co-ownership of the patent, then wdp bought it off of him allowing their markers to be protected, however they haven't allowed other companies to benefit from the patent...

Is everyone forgetting about WDP or am I missing something?

[mpsd]

[/COLOR]

You know you are probably right, but I would hope that these companies would have learned something from SP's fail. I doubt it, but it would be nice. I couldn't even imagine what it would do to the marker market. Unfortunately I don't think it will be the last of the Gardners anyway. I know it won't make a difference as far as how many i would have to work on, there is enough of them out to make absolutely any difference with that for the next 4 years.

You honestly think they failed? Really? I mean, even if they do come out, they will do it with big, fat, havy pocket, right? Try looking at it under their own, personal perspective. They didn't fail. Not even close...

Just please, don't get me wrong here, ok? I'm not saying that I agree with their politics but just that it worked out for them. Just them.

[punkncat]

So, back to the original question.....

Aside from the FACT that the patents aren't going anywhere, let us PRETEND for a moment that they were GONE. IF that were going to be the case, and anyone and everyone could make E frames, markers, etc. again, could it turn paintball around?

[Lohman446]

No - it would not.

What would more e-frames offer? Would they be cheaper? They are pretty cheap pretty decent markers out there now. Would they be more feature laden? No, the rules set up pretty well are design specs.

The fact is the problem right now has nothing to do with production of markers or cost. The problem that TK, Orr, Youngblood and others fought early on (availability of items to the player) has been replaced. These new problems will be harder to overcome.

FYI - SPs "fail" (assumed) had nothing to do with the pretend boycot by what? 5% of the players. Don't congratulate yourselves too much.

[punkncat]

Thanks for playing along Lohman.

What do you think the current problems are specifically?