What would you do?

[artificer]

As an (albeit minor) advertiser here I thought I'd toss in my $0.02.

Your questions in BOLD, my answers below.



If an advertiser here were using photos from someone else, and it could be proven that no permission was granted, would you feel confidant dealing with that company?
No. Theft of other's IP is a deal-breaker. Thieves are rarely ONLY dishonest in one single area. If they're stealing from someone else, they're at least as likely to steal from me.

Would you want a company who uses photos without permission to be able to advertise here?
No, ideally. I like to think that Xmarks sets the benchmark for internet civility. Why do we want to invite thieves to our house party?


How about copyrights and patents? As you may or may not know copyrights and patents are effective only in the countries where they are filed. It may not be against the law to copy a design of another company, with a UK copyright, if you are not operating in the UK.
We have all seen the Utilikilt knock-offs that are sold all over the world. The Utilikilt Company holds a US Patent on their design. Would you feel confidant buying a Utilikilt knock-off from a company operating in a country not covered by that patent?
Ideally no. While legally there may be no protections across borders for copyright and patent, it again boils down to an issue of character. The company that takes another creator's design because it is legal to do so is displaying
a lack of both their OWN inventiveness as well as a sorry lack of ethics.

Would you buy products from such a company and would you want such companies to be able to advertise here?
No. See above.


I know and understand that these questions are of an ethical nature. Business practices vary in different countries. In some countries it is not only completely legal, it is expected, that one company will produce virtually identical products of another company if they are finding that it will sell.

A company doing so is not breaking any laws. This makes my questions a matter of ethics.

So, my final questions are to you, the members of X Marks.
Would the membership here hold those who advertise here to a higher ethical standard?
I hope so.

Would you want a company who makes or resells in one country, products that are under copyright or patent in another country, to be able to advertise on X Marks?
No. Additionally, making a product that is not protected in one country and shipping it to a country where protections exist IS a violation of patent/copyright.


Would you buy those products if the price were lower than from the copyright holder?
No.

To you, the members of X Marks, is price the overriding factor or do you hold yourselves, and by default this forum, to an ethical, over legal, standard?
Price is a tricky beast. Inferior products will (unless you're planning on throwing it away eventually anyway) end up costing most people more in the end when they
are replaced do to defect or buyer disappointment.

Are there 'deals' to be had? Absolutely. But I'd argue that a real VALUE deal is much rarer than we'd all like it to be.
I'd rather buy once and eventually hand it down to my son than buy something crappy 3 times. Even if it means I save for several years between purchases.

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