We can all take several things from this story and from our reactions to it.

1. We are quite ready to state what another person feels or intends when he acts, yet all we really can know is what he does. All the actors in this little play thought they were doing the right thing. Nobody woke up and said "how can I do the wrong thing today?" nor thought that at the moment they acted.

I do have an open mind, the issue is you use "open mind when you want to mean one that does not work. I deal with two chair manufacturers. my low end manufacturer has simple models and options "I want XXX in charcoal premium leather with the optional electrical reclining and brushed aluminum cup holder in a straight 5 seat configuration ". But if we assume no options (which if we add then you are discussing specs) just a model and fabric and colour then 40k$ could be enough seats to fill up a small room in a multiplex. On the other hand I also deal with an other chair manufacturer and there it is completely different. There are no models. Looking at the web site, looking at posts by Erik, looking at posts by others, fortress appears to be that way. With that manufacturer, it is different in order to have a "model" you need to spec everything and you get a large alphanumeric code which you give them that code is comprised of your decisions xxx3021myystr where xxx is the back 30 describes the seat width 2 describes the type of "filler" 1 describes the firmness, m describes the motorized recliner yy is the two digit code for the handle s means a straight one t a thin one and r that you want a right arm.

Honestly, do you think you can call any theatre seat manufacturer and say "hey I want to know the price for a 5 seater and not hear a but of a chuckle before the click of the guy on the other end hanging up on you?

She contacted me to ask about pricing for chairs and shared with me a drawing of a chair layout "from Fortress",

I'm just wondering why, when a dealer is approached asking for a quote on seating alone, the question was not asked why he wasn't asked for a quote for the entire theater, or entire AV job? I'd be concerned when presented with a request like this. I'd at the very least ask why I wasn't providing a quote for everything, just seating.

This may have been on a napkin from fortress.

Do you honestly think that you have access to the "quote" being discussed here? Quit pretending you know exactly what information was allegedly stolen. You don't know if it was cad drawings or a scribble on a cocktail napkin.

She contacted me to ask about pricing for chairs and shared with me a drawing of a chair layout "from Fortress", (her words) no pricing or other info attached except materials she had chosen. To me it looked like other drawings she has shared with me, I thought little of it. [b]I did not know she had not selected the choices from the fortress website.[/b]

I called Fortress for pricing and to apply for a dealership.

I was told when naming the materials that the design was familiar and had just been quoted, I did not know this and said so

If the OP ordered the Exact Same quote, with countless variables to choose from and him not being a dealer, at what point would those of you who think this is fair play consider that stealing intellectual property?

Ethics question-
Is stealing another companies quote more or less ethical than the manufacturer trying to guard its dealers intellectual property by letting the dealer know a new contact has attempted to order the Exact Same Quote?

When the decision was made to not open up Turmll as a dealer I fully understood that it probably wouldn't sit well with him, and the likelihood of us ever doing business is about 0. That's the risk a manufacturer has to take when they protect their existing dealer base.

So you might not find that professional (I disagree, I think it's the definition of being professional), but your scenario and what occurred are completely different and I think you'd feel different if the shoe was on the other foot.

Did Terrmul break into the other dealers office in the dark of night and steal some intellectual property and I missed it?

It might help for you to understand what stealing is, and understand what intellectually property is, before posting further. Hint: your emotions don't define what they are.

Hard to have a rational conversation with a fanboi. It's also odd you can't even spell his nic correctly even though it's repeatedly spelled correctly by most others.



I would respect Fortress if they told TERMUL 'you're asking for the same quote one of our dealers has already worked up and put the time into. Buy the seats through them.' I have little doubt TERMUL would have respected that and seriously considered that avenue. It would then be his choice to say 'OK cool' or 'No really, I want to become a real dealer and consider a real relationship.' Fortress could then take the consideration seriously, or tell TERMUL 'great, we'd love to talk about you being a dealer. Do this project through our existing dealer and we'll continue the conversation on the back side.'

The Fortress salesman made an assumption based on cynicism, shined on Termul, then called the existing dealer to inform him of TERMUL's efforts. Then the existing dealer called the ID and offered 5% off.

It's a little douchey. Of course no client or ID would see anything wrong in any of this as they're getting 5% off. They profit off the scrum.

As I said before, it's a little short sighted and/or ham fisted, forest vs the trees. The exceptionalist assertions of 'protecting the dealer,' while noble in intent, overshadowed these factors.

On 1369001685, techvalley said... |

It's Terrmul, if you're going to correct people you might want to get it right. This reminds me of a time a guy pointed at a company being un-ethical when it was him who was as guilty if not more... Birds of a feather!

...you should be using this as a learning experience..

It might help for you to understand what stealing is, and understand what intellectually property is, before posting further. Hint: your emotions don't define what they are.

[Link: juliasilvers.com]

Maybe this will help, this states that proposals are considered intellectual property, although I don't know what the courts emotions were when they ruled.

If you copy intellectual property exactly, as all parties have stated, what would you call it?