SHAPEWAYS PRICE HIKE ON THE 30TH

[m0rris]

It has all gone very quiet on the repricing of FUD.  Historic models are still priced at the old price and the new ones at the new price.

I wonder if the howls of anguish from the user community has had an effect and they have backed off.  I guess they can leave the situation as it stands which helps old designs as long as you don't "revise" your design.

I suspect they've totally knackered their algorithms and don't know how to put it all back on a sensible footing. Some of the issues that they raised that they had missed seemed to be really basic like not recognising both height and length effectively. Avim has hinted at some of the wider issues, individuals leaving during the middle of the switchover, even Avim came in to deliver this after the process had started...

[thebrighton]

It seems all this uncertainty about pricing is causing a lull in orders. An item I wanted hadn't increased so I ordered it on Thursday with the cheapo delivery option with expected shipping date the 18 March. It was dispatched today

[Mr Sprue]

The way I see things they run the danger of out pricing themselves, after all lets be honest the prints available are really 'scratch aids'.

What is really deceiving are their 'Digital Preview' pictures which are not actual photo's but display perfectly smooth prints, in fact in the flesh they are not, and even printed in the best resolution available they resemble a master that was originally built in concrete and scaled down!

But really does annoy me is that they now possess a large catalogue for the customer, which has been compiled from those who have given up their valuable time and I suspect the odd late night to design and upload their files,  only to receive a pittance in royalties every time Shapeways sell a print using one of their files!

If what I have posted is not fact then please correct me as I have been otherwise misinformed!

[Snowwolflair]

The way I see things they run the danger of out pricing themselves, after all lets be honest the prints available are really 'scratch aids'.

What is really deceiving are their 'Digital Preview' pictures which are not actual photo's but display perfectly smooth prints, in fact in the flesh they are not, and even printed in the best resolution available they resemble a master that was originally built in concrete and scaled down!

But really does annoy me is that they now possess a large catalogue for the customer, which has been compiled from those who have given up their valuable time and I suspect the odd late night to design and upload their files,  only to receive a pittance in royalties every time Shapeways sell a print using one of their files!

If what I have posted is not fact then please correct me as I have been otherwise misinformed!

And if a competent rival came into existence these designs can all be migrated to a new provider overnight.  Fortunately they don't try to own the designs (yet).

[Mr Sprue]

And if a competent rival came into existence these designs can all be migrated to a new provider overnight.  Fortunately they don't try to own the designs (yet).

I don't think they would be able to own the files without permission would they?

[Snowwolflair]

And if a competent rival came into existence these designs can all be migrated to a new provider overnight.  Fortunately they don't try to own the designs (yet).

I don't think they would be able to own the files without permission would they?

Not as it stands but they could try and slip a change of commercial conditions in without it being realised.

[Mr Sprue]

And if a competent rival came into existence these designs can all be migrated to a new provider overnight.  Fortunately they don't try to own the designs (yet).

I don't think they would be able to own the files without permission would they?

Not as it stands but they could try and slip a change of commercial conditions in without it being realised.

But then surely they would have to notify people! However copyright laws in the world of models are frail as the only master is the real one!

[Snowwolflair]

And if a competent rival came into existence these designs can all be migrated to a new provider overnight.  Fortunately they don't try to own the designs (yet).

I don't think they would be able to own the files without permission would they?

Not as it stands but they could try and slip a change of commercial conditions in without it being realised.

But then surely they would have to notify people! However copyright laws in the world of models are frail as the only master is the real one!

They would do it like this, amongst lots of copperplate verbose to hide it.

"If you don't want us to have sole rights to manufacture this item then please remove it from our site in the next seven days."

[Mr Sprue]

They would do it like this, amongst lots of copperplate verbose to hide it.

"If you don't want us to have sole rights to manufacture this item then please remove it from our site in the next seven days."

If that is the case then I know what I would do take my file down and to with them!

[Snowwolflair]

They would do it like this, amongst lots of copperplate verbose to hide it.

"If you don't want us to have sole rights to manufacture this item then please remove it from our site in the next seven days."

If that is the case then I know what I would do take my file down and to with them!

If you see it and are quick enough.

[njee20]

That's a vast amount of speculation, and I'm not sure something like that would stand up anyway.

[Snowwolflair]

That's a vast amount of speculation, and I'm not sure something like that would stand up anyway.

As long as they communicate it to the registered email address of the shop holder its perfectly valid.

Same way if somebody parks on your land you can attach a notice saying that if it is not removed in seven days it will be accepted as a gift to the owner of the land.  The exception to this if it is left on your land as the result of a criminal act.  Clamping on private land follows the same legal principle.

[njee20]

You can't clamp on private land any more, its an offence...

It's not as straightforward as you're making out or believe, and there's no precedent, so it would likely be challenged. You're implying they can say "you've got 20 minutes or it's all ours" and it'd be fine, as they'd told people.

It's totally pointless conjecture though, you're just scaremongering.

[Snowwolflair]

You can't clamp on private land any more, its an offence...

It's not as straightforward as you're making out or believe, and there's no precedent, so it would likely be challenged. You're implying they can say "you've got 20 minutes or it's all ours" and it'd be fine, as they'd told people.

It's totally pointless conjecture though, you're just scaremongering.

I never scaremonger about the law.

You are correct about the clamping, but a legal judgement and I believe a Home Office legal guidance was required to change the law for this exception as the prior default was understood that clamping on private land was legal. 

The principle of "failure of action in full knowledge of the consequences which can result in loss" is still a valid legal principle except where exceptions have been argued and agreed in court.  The best known expression of this is caveat emptor which has spawned lawbooks of new laws and judgements to create exceptions to the principle.

As a barrister friend likes to say, "the law is grey not black and white, as if it was black and white I would not make any fees".

The law is not moral or ethical it is literally a law unto itself, and if its badly drafted or ambiguous can be dangerous.

[njee20]

So you agree the example you used was completely wrong, but you're not scaremongering? Have Shapeways ever indicated they'll take ownership of all their hosted content? Has any other site done that? Sounds like scaremongering to me.

Even if it's not scaremongering it's certainly pointless conjecture, you have no facts. I'm out.