michael wathen wrote: > About the $325 per piano installation of Wapin --- About the > confidentiality agreements > > Really, we have no choice. We are resellers of an intellectual > property. We have a contractual obligation to the University of > Cincinnati. It makes no difference that I am the inventor. It's UC's > property. Even I do not have the legal right to install Wapin without > paying nor do I have the legal right to share know-how with anyone > outside the University unless they sign an agreement. This applies even > after the patent issues. We are merely a keep alive option for the > technology under those specific terms. Michael... this is not at issue, never has been. Its an off the wall tangent interpretation of the consequences of offering more technical insight to your product to the technical community. Something I think you should do for your own interests. But you of course must do as you self see fit in this regard. As for the intellectual property issue...as long as this tangent seems so insistant. You have a patent and nothing can change that. Anyone stealing your idea is subject to judgment regardless where they get information on your "property". And here lies the crux of the issue. Assuming Wapin is "worth" stealing... Anyone who is so motivated can aquire enough info to do so by reading the Patent. The kind of folks who are willing to do something like that are not going to be hindered by any policy of yours or the UC's. The only thing you (or the UC) accomplishes by being so secretive is exactly the kind of skeptism / suspicion and around the bush talk that this thread has seen. I cant see that that is in the interests of anyone personnally. > > > As far a patents and their value. Imagine a world without intellectual > property. Let's just say that Wapin is so great and that UC is giving > it to everyone. What do you think would happen to the American piano > industry? Who would be the most likely to take up a new technology? What > country would likely start producing and markteting pianos with this new > technology? > I would think that the American Piano industry would be in exactly the same place as it is today. Left to compete on the basis of quality workmanship, not who has the best gimmick (not meaning to demean Wapin here.. just sharpening the point a bit... grin). Really.. in the end it is not the technology knowhow that determines a great product.. tho that certainly is an important factor.. it is the quality put into the production of the product that counts. So really... nothing will have changed. What does it matter what country / countries start useing new ideas... and what on earth makes you think anything you or the UC can do will stop them if they really want to... yes.. even despite the patent. There are plenty of ways to sneak around the patents of "products" such as yours.. All this debate about this side issue is moot. Your only protection lies in the patent laws. The secrecy thing just keeps potential allies away.. > > Finally, I am not really concerned that a lot of techs are incredulous > about our claims. I have been in the Guild long enough to witness the > resistance of technological change. I can remember hugh battles when a > few techs were enticed into using Sanderson's Sight-O-Tuner. Understood... tho had I been you I would have left this out... grin.. > > > If you are uncomfortable with the idea of Wapin then let it be. It's > not for you. If you want to take a wait and see approach that's okay > too! I am neither uncomfortable or comfortable with the idea of Wapin. I lack enough data on the subject to make a reasonable conclusion in that regard. My whole point exactly. Tho the claims it makes are intriguing enough that despite the lack of forthcomming info on the part of Wapin.. I fully intend to download the patent material to see what this thing really is. If I like what I see then I will no doubt contact you and "purchase" an installation. You see Micheal.. the greatest majority of us fellow techs... regardless of our personal quirks are hardworking, dedicated and above all honest comrades. You have everything to gain by winning us over... And nothing to loose by not trying. Continued Good Luck on your enterprise > > > -- > Michael Wathen > Wapin,LLP > http://www.wapin.com -- Richard Brekne Associate PTG, N.P.T.F. Bergen, Norway
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