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Date:         Fri, 21 Nov 2003 12:27:40 -0800
Reply-To:     mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: ETKA & ELSA ?  burning and shipping for free??? (F)
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I mostly agree but what does the amount of money changing hands have to do with it? I don't think Frank is overcharging for the service.

It is a complex situation but VW and it's dealers could make an argument that they are hurt by this. They largely built the parts database and paid for the software for their dealers' benefit. The ability to look up exact parts using this system is a competitive advantage that these parties PAID FOR. There are customers who visit the VW dealers because they have ready access to accurate info while most parts houses don't. Freely propagating this info enables people to shop more efficiently at lower cost suppliers than VW dealers. This may result in economic harm to VW and the Dealers due to lost sales. Just having fewer customers actually visiting the VW dealerships would constitute harm in the eyes of the dealerships. They spend big money to get people to come in so they can sell them parts and service as well as cars.

Mark

David Beierl wrote: > > At 02:09 PM 11/21/2003, mark drillock wrote: > >So, is it ok to steal as long as you share the goods with your friends > >for free? That seems to be what some here are saying. I don't know if > >they feel a hate for profits or if they are not thinking very deeply. > > It's kinda tough for me to identify just who is losing something in this > setup when no money changes hands; I think if that were clear people (me, > for example) would find it easier to come down against it. From here it > appears that VW gains part sales and loyal customers with no associated > costs I can see other than being thwarted in their wishes; no influence on > the software developers; the dealers lose a little power of coercion but > also a good deal of nuisance, and I don't see how the shift intrinsically > favors one dealer over another...kinda pushes it down to a question of the > Rule of Law which is not such a clear issue to many people of say post-WWII > vintage as it possibly was before. > > When money beyond strict reimbursement changes hands I suspect that VW do > have a cost in that failing to pursue the matter might influence their > ability to recover if someone *did* at some point try to use the > information competitively against them. The sort of thing Frank is doing > follows the shareware model where people can charge reasonably for > distribution of a free product but not for the product itself. But it > blurs a line which I suspect VW would like to keep crystal clear. Same > thing potentially with the software developers I guess. I'm sure their > actual obligation to VW doesn't go beyond refusing to distribute or > sanction distribution. > > d > > -- > David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ > '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage" > '85 GL "Poor Relation"


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