$1.50 a day sounds about right.

Funny how people assume that when it comes to things like copyright violations that the company that is being "stolen from" always has the moral high ground.

Steve.

 

Awesomely said dude.

 

True that. Clearly, the counterfeiters are ethical people beyond reproach. They are driven by only the most selfless of interests and likely pass all profits to the workers.

 

Not true. We can choose not to purchase them.

I have never insulted anyone regarding the purchase of KO. I have simply stated my beliefs.

So violating copyright and trademark laws is OK since it involves plastic toys?

It's the principle, not the act.

 

Well I for one am looking forward to picking these up. Anyone who has a problem with that would be advised to keep that problem to themselves, because I honestly don't care.

 

I don't think Hasbro has taken any king of moral ground.. high or low. In fact, they have not seem to taken any kind of stance when it comes to the counterfeits.

Even if Hasbro uses cheap child labor...I am not sure how that justifies other people stealing thier copyrights?

Also, I don't know for a fact, but common sense tells me that the companies willing to violate international copyright laws are probably not adhering to labor laws either.

But back on topic, I think there would be a whole lot less complaining out there if the Counterfeiters were not replicating the trademarks on the toys and boxes. They could easily remove these trademarks from the molds and printing, but they choose not too. I realize these items are never going away as there is just too much demand, but it would be nice if we didn't have to work so hard to figure out the fakes from the real ones. It begs the question as to why they don't simply remove the trademarks? Is it just laziness or is it because it would upset their buyers who pass them off as real? I mean the people out there who defend these counterfeits always say it is just a cheap alternative and fills in gaps in thier colections for toys they could not afford or that Hasbro/Takara didn't reissue. Do these collectors care about Trademark stamps? I would think no, since most of these defenders of counterfeits say they just want them for their personal collections and don't buy them to re-sell. So it really makes you think as to why they don't remove the trademarks???

 

Fixed it for you.

 

Or what? You're going to threaten people on the Internet that have differences of opinions?

 

1. YOU can choose not to buy, the rest of us can make our own decisions. There will obviously be no group effort by all fans to avoid them, when a lot of us like and want them.


2. There are other members far more guilty of this more than you, but I have seen some pretty indignant remarks about people who buy them.

3. No, but there are more important issues in the world to worry about that should take precedent over the manufacture of fake robot toys.

4. Please see #3.

Just another thing I'd like to address, I really don't believe these are being made exactly like the originals for the sole purpose of passing them off as originals. Secondary sellers may try it, but I really don't think that's the idea behind them. Nostalgia and accuracy sell, and the makers know people want reissues. These are as close as they can get, and like it or not, there is a demand for cheap copies.

Honestly, do you think the makers expect us to believe that factories full of MISB G1 toys have been recently discovered? They practically give us progress reports on their new KO projects.

 

this makes me wonder if the KO makers are secretly working for hasbro...

 

If they did, I would think hasbro would be claiming it and showing it to thier shareholders, because this is a pretty lucrative operation. Hasbro sure couldn't market an Optimus Prime for $100.

 

Of course not; I was stating that they may as well not bother wasting their time because I don't care about their opinions.
I would have thought that was blatantly obvious to anyone who wasn't picking at everything people wrote just to keep an argument going.

 

Whatever you say bud.

 

I don't believe I said that. Some people are remarking that the people who are making these KOs are the most evil and heinous of people. I was simply pointing out that if you're going to be all judgemental you should judge both sides.

Anyway... I want a mint G1 Mirage that won't cost me the earth. HasTak don't want my money. These people do. For all I know (and until someone can tell me that these KOs are being produced by children/young women working "14.5 hour weekdays with only one day off a month") these KOs could actually even be the more ethical option. Ironic really.

Hurrah!

Steve.

 

ohfortheloveof.

just buy or dont buy it already ppl.

i could use a replacement sludge btw. but i could prolly get a loose legit one at 50 bucks, so, meh.

 

Actually, this does raise an interesting point...

We're constantly being led to believe that "fakes", "knock-offs", "pirate copies" etc are to blame for all the world's ills (from local economic problems to terrorism!) which is obviously a bit of an exaduration by the larger corporations to maintain their rights BUT to the shops that intend to stock these Transformers... Do you ask your supplier about the manufacturing process involved or is it safer "not to know"? Serious question!

Steve.

 

i'm going to buy these if they drop the ludicrous prices they're currently trying to sell them for. and i'm going to feel about as guilty doing it as i do jaywalking.

 

I really think we should stop fighting each other, and concentrate on fighting the situation

if people wanna buy them, then there's nothing we can do about it, its their choice, same with downloading the transformers movie.. its wrong, but some people just like to do wrong things  

the only people im really mad at, are the people making the things, and im sorry if i've come off as a dick before about people buying them.

things like this just make me mad, i hope you guys can understand that at least. I understand you guys just want cheap toys. we all do.

 

Somehow I doubt patent/trademark/copyright law exists to solely deprive people of goods or services. You might choose to read up on what the Founding Fathers believed when they wrote the original laws (for the US anyway) on the subject. I suspect that, like effective sarcasm, is likely too much work so I'll short circuit that and spoonfeed it to you.

Those laws exist, "rodimusminor" (might want to clear that handle with Hasbro Legal too seeing as it's a derivative work), to protect the rights of inventors and artists who are actively selling their product. It isn't a license to hoard information or guarantee profits (the logical end of banning works produced by a competitior or out of print). See, that's the ciritcal distinction people like you (media cartels, patent trolls, for-sale legislators, etc) either won't or, more likely, can't understand.

If, and only if, Hasbro and Takara take action to produce these toys will they have a leg to stand on. You would really do well to study a bit more in the founding principles of this country or the art of humor, because I'd fail you on both account at this point. Otherwise...assuming you're not all one in the same, vnutz and company could make a pretty decent infringement case against you for stealing those tired and inane remarks.

 

Well, I guess it's a good thing that 'Hasbro', 'Takara', 'Transformers' aren't in active use. I guess it's case closed, point for you.