Interesting article about Sawstop

[rywilson]

http://techdirt.com/articles/20100318/1240568623.shtml

 

[Bas]

Folks, please remember to keep any discussion civil, on topic and within site policy, or it will go to the dying place of all SawStop threads. Thank you for your cooperation.

 

[Travis Porter]

I didn't know the lawsuit was for a Ryobi saw. I think Ryobi quit making tablesaws before the saw brake was available, or I would at least bet this saw was sold before discussions and/or patents were available....

 

[reprosser]

At least this thread comes at it from a slightly different angle - patent non-violation.
I have nothing to add to the SS arguments, but this was interesting.

 

[Gotcha6]

The Saw Stop issue hearkens me back to the intermittent wiper story. The inventor developed the device but no auto manufacturer wanted it - until the patent expired.......

We do indeed live in a litigious society. :gar-Cr

 

[NCTurner]

And soon there will be no sharp knives, scissors will be banned and we will all walk around in airtight bubbles!

It really would be funny though if he lost all rights to a patent, serve SS right.

 

[Dragon]

Hum,:eusa_thin interesting possibilities and positions explored there. Thanks for the link. On a positive note though.........."if" this does come to pass, it may result in my being able to purchase one of the older, no-longer-safe-for-use saws at a very reasonable price. :eusa_danc Might finally get that table saw I've been wanting. Now all I gotta do is find somewhere to put it other than a storage unit.:BangHead:

 

[merrill77]

http://techdirt.com/articles/20100318/1240568623.shtml

This is one of the weaknesses of our "jury of your peers" system - when the jurors are swayed by emotional response or are incapable of following complex logic. No worries, it will be overturned. But the SawStop patent may have expired by then

 

[Tarhead]

I just came back from a business trip to New Zealand. While there we took some of our US based staff down to Queenstown for an Outward Bound experience involving helicopters, traversing a Glacier and orienteering our way back down a mountain without GPS. We didn't even sign a release. When I asked about it, our NZ President said: "Mate, you Yanks just have too many Lawyers. You know what we're going to do and how we're going to do it. A clerk of court (ie: It wouldn't make it to a Judge) would laugh at you if you tried to sue here. "

We'll be seeing Class Action TV commercials soon: "If you or a loved one has been injured by a Tablesaw, call 1-800-...
http://www.tablesawattorney.com/

 

[drw]

I think juries, on occasion, fail to look at the actual merits of a case and simply decide that a big company has deeper pockets than the "victim." Consequently, a few million dollars will do no harm to the company and will be a huge help to the "victim;" but, I think they fail to consider the longer term ramifications of their individual decisions.

Donn

 

[Douglas Robinson]

The inventor, Mr. Gass, has 12 issued patents. The ones pertaining to table saws expire around August 14, 2020.

 

[SubGuy]

:eusa_thin I like some of the ideas to remove the patent. I know how controversial this is, but if you could have this technology at a reasonable price, would you? I hope everyone stays civil on this thread, it has some real potential.

 

[FredP]

I could comment :widea: but out of respect for the moderators I think I'll keep my trap shut :crossedlips: this time..........:gar-Bi I am enjoying the read so I hope it can stay alive a little longer.:icon_thum

 

[Travis Porter]

I don't see "removing" the patent as viable. The guy did invent it, and it is his intellectual property. Saying it should be required is an opinion. Changing tracks on this, what about air bags. Yes, cars have them, but side curtain airbags are not in all cars and are an option. If you didn't elect to buy a car with side airbags, is the car company liable? Just a perspective, not really a question.

 

[SubGuy]

I don't see "removing" the patent as viable. The guy did invent it, and it is his intellectual property. Saying it should be required is an opinion. Changing tracks on this, what about air bags. Yes, cars have them, but side curtain airbags are not in all cars and are an option. If you didn't elect to buy a car with side airbags, is the car company liable? Just a perspective, not really a question.

I definitely see your point. I guess the removal of the patent would be wrong. I wonder if the other big companies like PM, Griz and Delta are working on a "non-patent violation" version of the technology that they may offer as an option. It is the American way, to allow someone the financial benefits of their invention. I guess a little delusion on my part. One would wish that he would share his technology at a more reasonable price. After all, many people have patented things that were very useful and gave away the technology as so that no one person would have a monopoly on a specific technology. I think the later is a true "American Way".

 

[tommyt654]

I have to agree with Zack. A non-patent violating version is more than likely in the wings anyways as Sawstop,PM,Grizz,Delta and others all come out of the same Taiwainese plant. The shame is that Gass didn,t have the guts to have it manufactured here instead of overseas.

 

[WoodWrangler]

As a SawStop owner, these thread are always interesting. I still can't imagine he won a case on this ... shows what a "good" lawyer, or maybe just good luck, can have. SawStop is a great idea, but mandatory ... no thanks. All of the chatter about what did, or didn't happen, when the idea was attempted to be brought to manufacturers/industry is the past ... this is all about the future. I don't think it would be fair, or likely, to remove any patent (that is what they are for). Hopefully some manufacturers will license the technology and begin to implement it ... but I don't think they should be forced. SawStop did a good job though getting their product made & distributed without being awkwardly expensive ... I can only imagine the improvements we'd see with a little competition too.