Quote:
PS. Notice that whenever someone posts any Q's questioning alm,
there is ALWAYS 1 or more NEW Registered Users THANKING him
for his info and, in some cases, they've been 'Lurking for years?'
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Just to clear up any misunderstanding, many people participating in this discussion (on both sides) have been posting here since the early 2000s at least... (They can identify themselves if they wish to, or you can search through the early posts...)
As for my view on this... I feel if you are using someone's artwork, photography, etc., at the very least the source should be credited...
However, on the other hand, taking business "ideas" from others and using them has probably been happening since neanderthal man...
I'll give you a quick example... In Australia, there is a very successful chain of stores called "Bunnings"... it is a kind of "warehouse" hardware store. That's right - it's just like Home Depot! Bunnings "stole" the concept of a hardware warehouse from Home Depot - and became very successful in Australia with this concept, just as Home Depot are successful in the USA! However, nowhere in a Bunnings store will you see "Home Depot" credited for the concept (surprise surprise)...
Microsoft "stole" the basis for their first operating system, "MS-DOS" - from other software called "CP/M", which was created by Digital Research. However, I've never heard of Microsoft crediting Digital Research for the concept!
And of course, Microsoft's "Windows" operating system copied Apple's "Macintosh", which in turn got its ideas from Xerox's research unit... (At least Apple gave Xerox a whole bunch of shares in return for taking their ideas - ideas which Xerox weren't using commercially anyway. However, I believe Microsoft gave Apple nada.)
The first credit card ever created was Diner's Club, back in 1950. Visa (1958, originally as "BankAmericard") and Mastercard (1966) came along later to the party. However - strangely enough - I've never heard Visa and Mastercard acknowledge their debt to Diner's Club for the concept!
Anyway, you get the drift. There are about a billion other "copycat" stories just like those. Just to see how common this is in business history, there's a book all about it (where you can read about many other examples) -
"Managing Imitation Strategies" by Steven P. Schnaars.
However, you
can prevent others from copying you and succeeding. That's what the whole concept of a "
toll position" is all about...
(Before you ask - yes, the Harvey Brody toll positions project is still chugging along on its pre-planned track - we've been very busy behind the scenes!)
- Dien