[sdiy] Re: Doepfer A-105 looks like Oakley Multiladder?

[sasami at blaze.net.au]

Considering this, I thought I'd mention a bit more about my 
RC car throttle, the one that was ripped off. If you 
consider what I write, you will see it worked toward my 
original goal. That goal was admitedl multifold, but one 
part was that crudest of reasons - revenge!

Two key events led to me designing the throttle. First, when 
I was looking around for one based on mosfets, I was told 
by one shop owner that mosfet was just a brand. I told him 
otherwise, and his rather rudely put response was "Well, if 
you know so much about then, why don't you build one?"

I did find a mosfet one at another supplier, and purchased 
it. These were quite expensive. A few weeks later it self 
destructed, while being used well within its advertised 
specifications. So I took it back to where I had bought it. 
Their response: "Hah! There's no guarentee on these things. 
It's your problem mate."

Well, thanks for making that so clear before the sale you 
@#$%.

So what did I do? I designed a unit that was superior to 
those, organized a kit manufacturer to handle mail order for 
units with a 50c per PCB & 50c per mosfet commission, and 
published the circuit in the leading radio control car 
magazine of the time.

The result - I made enough money to cover my RC car habbit, 
and while I was at it, did huge damage to the sales of ready 
made units in Australia.

That someone else ripped off the design and also had kits 
available, while it didn't help me financially, it at least 
was still "punnishing" the bastards that did me in the first 
place.

Aren't I a nice fellow......


>May I suggest another approach?
>
>Be flattered that you have a design good enough to steal! 
What a tremendous
>compliment. Someone thought highly enough of the design to 
go through all
>the trouble and expense to put it in production. And took 
the risk, that if
>it does not sell, all the setup and tooling money will be 
wasted.
>
>Sure, it sucks that you are not getting a proper credit. So 
give yourself
>plenty of credit, put big pointers on you webpage to the 
Doepfer module
>"inspired" by your design, encourage everyone to buy it. If 
it's a big
>seller, Dieter may commission a special design from you 
that you do get
>royalties for.
>
>And brag to your friends about what a crack designer you 
are that people
>will "steal" your designs. Make sure to put it on your 
resume - "Designed
>production synthesizer module for commercial manufacturer". 
Write Dieter a
>thank you letter, thanking him for popularizing your design 
and making it
>available to a wider audience.
>
>In other words, pretend it was your plan from day one, and 
that is the exact
>reason you posted the schematic to begin with. For Dieter 
to copy and put
>into production - sheer genius! And your plan worked out 
exactly as you
>expected! More genius!
>