Date:	Wed, 29 Mar 1995 11:14:01 -1000
From:	Mr.Nasty@ix.netcom.com (Frank Kenisky)
Message-Id: <3lciip$o62@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>
Organization: Netcom
Subject: Re: Patent/Copyright - more double talk

In <199503291911.AA26362@ednet1.osl.or.gov> dgomberg@ednet1.osl.or.gov 
(David Gomberg) writes: 

>Carl reports that people were "VERY upset" that he protested AKA
>acceptance of a kite copy in convention competition. I think that's
>a bit of an exaggeration.
>
>People were upset that Carl wanted AKA to to take action, when
>he was unwilling to take any action.

I think this may be a bit more of an exaggeration.

> I believe that the owner
>has the primary responsibility for protecting their own property.
>If we are unwilling to confront the abusers, then we can't run 
>around complaining that AKA or KTA won't do it for us...

Several years ago when I first began my enthusiasm for kiting I ran into 
a well know kite manufacturer. After reading some of the kite 
periodicals I became aquainted with the names of some of the Gods of 
kiting. I heard the owner mention a name which I had become familiar 
with and asked with curiosity about this persons character.

New to kiting I was eager to learn all about anything and everything. I 
was surprised to learn that this retailer was retailing ripoffs of a 
kite my kite manufacturer friend had made famous. He was pissed.

In a real business with real associations, a complaint is filed by an 
individual to the association, the association investigates the matter 
and attempts to set things right. The more complaints filed against this 
same person would then result in revocation of their licience to sell 
products from companies who are afiliates of the association.

The interesting part of this story is that the person guilty of buying 
and selling riboffs was also an officer in the KTA. I guess that's why 
the KTA and the AKA are so lame.

>Usually, these copyright/patent cases are clear as mud. Do we
>really want them adjudicated by kite competition judges in the 
>middle of a festival? 

You once mentioned that to do this would be rediculious (sp). You then 
brought up some adhoc reference to recognizing the person who first 
designed the rokkaku. This is an interesting point and I have to be 
whimiscal about your analogy. It is obviously an old kite design with 
orgins in the orient. Maybe you should create a new committee to 
research who the designer was. :)

When an individual, in who lives in 90's, builds a unique design it is 
or at least should be recognized by someone within one of these two 
associations. It should be noted as such before judging begins.

>Last year, someone copied and published portions of my book. I 
>informed them that they could do so (without charge) if and only
>if they asked permission in advance. They told me to buzz-off
>or call an attorney. I did. And now I'm driving a new BMW.

Now this is funny. I can't for the life of me believe that someone would 
actually risk all that for something out of your book. He is either too 
stuipid or you are just lucky.

The content of the book is about as good as the local news paper.


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