Boycott SP gear
Ok guys...just sent an email to AKA...I'm going to give 50% of the proceeds of anything I sell to them to fight Smart Parts.
I've been reading more about this whole patent thing and the more I read the more I think the paintball community should not only raise their voice collectively and boycott Smart Parts, but I also think Adam Gardners history with patent and licensing scams should be made known more publicly.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/1997/07/davisb~1.htm
To all those who say why bother boycotting or that this issue is stale I say...that attitude is EXACTLY what's wrong with this country. The notion that just because Smart Parts is a big company with a lot of cash we should all just accept the inevitable is a cop out. It's that herd mentallity they are counting on to run over the paintball industry and emerge on the other side as a monopoly. This will stifle innovation, raise the price of the most popular guns, and grant them even more leverage to do things like change the barrel threads on every new gun they sell just so we all have to keep buying new barrels. The gloves are off...paintball is not a niche sport anymore...it's a cash cow and the war for market share is on.
Take note of AGDs recent decision to stop making e-Mags and to hold off marketing any new electric guns until the dust settles. How long before the already high cost of an eBlade or Worrblade goes up even further. I haven't upgraded my cocker yet because I don't have the money. I'm hoping that the price will drop over time...if the Gardners get their way it'll either go up or they'll be taken off the market all together.
My 2 cents.
Ok guys...just sent an email to AKA...I'm going to give 50% of the proceeds of anything I sell to them to fight Smart Parts.
I've been reading more about this whole patent thing and the more I read the more I think the paintball community should not only raise their voice collectively and boycott Smart Parts, but I also think Adam Gardners history with patent and licensing scams should be made known more publicly.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/1997/07/davisb~1.htm
To all those who say why bother boycotting or that this issue is stale I say...that attitude is EXACTLY what's wrong with this country. The notion that just because Smart Parts is a big company with a lot of cash we should all just accept the inevitable is a cop out. It's that herd mentallity they are counting on to run over the paintball industry and emerge on the other side as a monopoly. This will stifle innovation, raise the price of the most popular guns, and grant them even more leverage to do things like change the barrel threads on every new gun they sell just so we all have to keep buying new barrels. The gloves are off...paintball is not a niche sport anymore...it's a cash cow and the war for market share is on.
Take note of AGDs recent decision to stop making e-Mags and to hold off marketing any new electric guns until the dust settles. How long before the already high cost of an eBlade or Worrblade goes up even further. I haven't upgraded my cocker yet because I don't have the money. I'm hoping that the price will drop over time...if the Gardners get their way it'll either go up or they'll be taken off the market all together.
My 2 cents.
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