?Un?Fair? Competition?

From: harvest@ns.vvm.com
Date: Tue Mar 10 1998 - 19:23:02 EET


Honestly, it's put up or shut up. What some universities are
currently doing is within the license agreement of the technology and
is not against the law. Universities realize they have to be
creative in this day of high scrutiny for govt. dollars.

So . . .

We won't be able to stop it unless "we" donate the machines. I know
we're not going to convince DTM, 3D Systems, Helysis, etc. to donate
when they could sell.

Also, large companies are willing to "sponsor" the technology if they
in turn get to be a part of a "consortium." This allows them to get
cheap parts in a relatively quick time frame with a quality somewhat
comparable to the market.

Personally, I think it sucks that I go into an account and am not
able to sell my products because they are "buying" from a university
where the labor is "free," the machines are "donated," and the
material expenses are "passed through."

So, what do I do? If it is a university in the same state I am in
(Texas), I talk to the State Attourney General and see what can be
done to stop the "unfair trade practices" or whatever legal term this
falls under. If it is a univeristy outside my state (like, say,
Kentucky or Mississippi), I chaulk it up to bad luck and sell to guys
in Vermont.

Happy Hunting
Go Cardinals Go Rebels

David Leigh

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