This Banker Had A Loss (VERY GRAPHIC)

[scorrpio]

Yes, kickback, fly-off tooth and other things like that can hurt a bystander. However, a SawStop will launch a stuck piece of wood across workshop at ~100mph just as nicely as a non-SawStop.

The opposition is because the guy does not want to play by the market rules. In the market, if you overprice your product, it will not sell. The guy is trying to gouge an already very competitive market into adopting his overpriced product via legislation. If he came down to an acceptable price point and got his tech adopted by toolmakers, he'd be rich by now. Instead, he wants to win the battle on the legal front and get FILTHY rich.

China can surely copy the tech - but no country that recognizes a US patent (USA in particular) will import it. No business on US territory will distribute it.

[LinuxRandal]

Yes, kickback, fly-off tooth and other things like that can hurt a bystander. However, a SawStop will launch a stuck piece of wood across workshop at ~100mph just as nicely as a non-SawStop.

The opposition is because the guy does not want to play by the market rules. In the market, if you overprice your product, it will not sell. The guy is trying to gouge an already very competitive market into adopting his overpriced product via legislation. If he came down to an acceptable price point and got his tech adopted by toolmakers, he'd be rich by now. Instead, he wants to win the battle on the legal front and get FILTHY rich.

China can surely copy the tech - but no country that recognizes a US patent (USA in particular) will import it. No business on US territory will distribute it.

HF imported an old scms that infringed on another makers patents for a while. So it could be sold here (you'd just have to catch it).

As for the opposition, Playing by the rules? I have yet to see rules, as I have seen products bought out and killed, or purposely raised, to make them unmarketable. From what I read, he was being strung along, but hadn't signed anything. I have seen companies go sign a tentative agreement, and go under when the buyer, decided to hold out, and buy them at a bankruptcy hearing.

[scorrpio]

Exactly what was the infringement? Was it a 'defining' feature? And I am fairly sure HF pulled it when they found out, cause the feature was likely minor, and it took a while for the patent to surface. There is no way somehing with a blade brake will pass any retailer's control, since the issue is pretty much red-hot.

The rules? Money talks. Business is war. Buying out a competing product is a financial move. Maneuvering a competitor to a point where he is likely to sell is one as well. And often no real maneuvering is needed: you capitalize on someone else's bad business decisions. The guy was 'strung along'? Exactly how? By being offered less than his highway robbery rate? And this is not a manufacturing agreement where one side may agree to supply parts, invests in actual manufacturing, only to be left in the red when the other side opts out. Nope, this guy wants to license the tech willy-nilly, have zero expense of his own, and cash the arriving checks. Meaning if a toolmaker does sign for a license, but never produces a single saw, the inventor is no worse off. No risks due to non-selling product, no pains of running a manufacture, advertising, etc. I understand he was offered to be paid a single-time lump sum for the license instead of a cut from each retail - well, the guy sure knows where the real money is. What he did instead is 'playground' equivalent of running to the daddy - trying to lobby for legislation to make his product mandatory.
At this point he is doing what is right - raised funds, took risks and is making and marketing the tool himself, trying to beat others in the market. I guess his big saw sells fairly well, and he is introducing a contractor-sized product. Maybe a SawStop SCMS, CS, bandsaw, router, drill press are not that far away - made successful by consumer decision, NOT government decree. And if he eats too much market share of others, they will license - on his terms - without the need of a backng law.
Good thing too. This country definitely could use less lawyers and more manufacturers.

[LinuxRandal]

Exactly what was the infringement? Was it a 'defining' feature? And I am fairly sure HF pulled it when they found out, cause the feature was likely minor, and it took a while for the patent to surface. There is no way somehing with a blade brake will pass any retailer's control, since the issue is pretty much red-hot.

The dual rod system, as has been talked about here.

The rules? Money talks. Business is war. Buying out a competing product is a financial move. Maneuvering a competitor to a point where he is likely to sell is one as well. And often no real maneuvering is needed: you capitalize on someone else's bad business decisions. The guy was 'strung along'? Exactly how? By being offered less than his highway robbery rate? And this is not a manufacturing agreement where one side may agree to supply parts, invests in actual manufacturing, only to be left in the red when the other side opts out. Nope, this guy wants to license the tech willy-nilly, have zero expense of his own, and cash the arriving checks. Meaning if a toolmaker does sign for a license, but never produces a single saw, the inventor is no worse off. No risks due to non-selling product, no pains of running a manufacture, advertising, etc. I understand he was offered to be paid a single-time lump sum for the license instead of a cut from each retail - well, the guy sure knows where the real money is. What he did instead is 'playground' equivalent of running to the daddy - trying to lobby for legislation to make his product mandatory.
At this point he is doing what is right - raised funds, took risks and is making and marketing the tool himself, trying to beat others in the market. I guess his big saw sells fairly well, and he is introducing a contractor-sized product. Maybe a SawStop SCMS, CS, bandsaw, router, drill press are not that far away - made successful by consumer decision, NOT government decree. And if he eats too much market share of others, they will license - on his terms - without the need of a backng law.
Good thing too. This country definitely could use less lawyers and more manufacturers.

I agree on the needing less lawyers part, but both sides are using their knowledge of the law in this decission to purchase or not. What I had read was they kept setting and delaying meetings from the interested manufacturer, a stall tactic. In one of the meetings, someone mentioned how the fact that this guy could make this in his garage, and the industry hadn't come up with it, would make them liable. Now there are lawsuits about it. I do wish him sucess on his saws, and also don't want to see regulations forced, as it would raise prices to the end consumer. But am stopping this discussion here, as it's getting political.