I have a dilemma - VWKD users opinions appreciated:

[rjes]

After discovering today that a certain US company (or possibly a collaboration of 2 companies) is working on a cast bell housing for Subaru - VW conversions which uses a Subaru flywheel, clutch and starter, I have a dilemma which I'd appreciate the opinions of the VWKD users on:

Am I too generous in the amount of information about exactly what combinations of parts work together that I publish? I'm not sure, but I really don't see why a competitor making a product with a seemingly identical concept to mine (note I didn't say the word 'copy' - I don't know enough yet to decide whether it's a copy) should benefit from my work. So much so that I have taken sections of my web site off line until I decide. Appologies if the whole site is temporarilly off line - that's just while I make a few chages.
If I removed, or considerably simplified the sections on flywheel, clutch and starter compatibility, and instead provided that information with my bell housings or on request, how much of a problem would that cause you guys?

People's opinions would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
_________________
Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

[ElusiveStranger]

Not being a legal eagle but look up "Intellectual property"
I believe that someone copying your design for *commercial use* would fall slap bang into this category.

At the end of the day you must have realised it would happen, which is a real shame. I love your BH & have told loads about it.
_________________
The advice you receive on here is worth the paper it's written on.
Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
Wouldn't YOU rather learn by someone else's mistakes? So would they.

'78 Bay, 2 litre 091 box, EJ20 NA & the ashtray's on the 'right' side.
I don't lean forward for hills any more
Bugger, missed out on "Live fast, die young"

[sven]

To remove information on the web site is sort of too late. There are archiving servers that do nothing but making snapshots of web sites. Everyone can go back in time and see what a web page contained.

But I understand your reaction, it's bloody boring that someone makes a copy. Specially since the Americans love to hate Chinese copying...

[rjes]

Hello Sven,
I didn't know there was such a thing as internet archives, so I just read up about them. The amount of storage space they require must be massive!
I just looked my site up on archive.org - apparently the biggest. It contains partial, and very difficult to use images of my site. Apparently it is possible to stop them archiving certain sections of a site, but whether it's relaible sounds doubtful. Thanks for the info.
_________________
Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

[jp]

That really sucks.

I think you are right to remove the detailed info from your site and just offer support to those that buy your products (dieselveg who I bought my twin tank chip fat conversion for my passat from now charge an additional tenner if you want support with their product and their site contains very little help cunning), I guess it will be tough to be vague when people are asking you specific questions about your products and it sounds like the damage may have been done and said company may have gathered all the relevant info they need

Things like this really annoy me.. they could have at least had the decency to have bought you out for millions
_________________
1971 Devon Bay with 1800 Ford Turbo Diesel Engine (wip)
1983 VW Golf GTI Campaign
1979 Mini 1275 GT
2013 Scirocco TDI GT

[sven]

[jp]

[rjes]

Thanks for the replies. Technical support is an ongoing problem. I'm a pretty helpful sort of person, but the amount of time I spend answering questions on the phone is unreal. It's getting to the point of being a serious problem.
My dad keeps on that I ought to get a chargeable phone line for technical support. I really don't like the idea, but he definitely has a point. It'd make people think twice before phoning to ask about every single detail of their conversions (you'd be amazed!).
I have plan to reduce the amount of technical support time without charging for phone calls though. Hope it works.

As far as I know the US company(s) in question have not bought any parts from me. However, I have sold more bell housings to their state than any other, so they may have bought one via someone else.
_________________
Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

[13 window deluxe]

sue there ass that's what they do to everyone!!!!!
_________________
1964 rat 13 window deluxe 1Z tdi,
1975 rhd twin slider tintop (TBA)
1991 golf 2 gti with tweaked AHU tdi,

previous tdi swaps: gone but not forgotten
1979 rhd twin slider tintop bay ahu 1.9tdi
1990 T25 1Z 1.9tdi
1993 suzuki samurai with 1Z 1.9tdi

[gerrelt]

[ElusiveStranger]

Maybe two words spring to mind, Rubic's Cube
_________________
The advice you receive on here is worth the paper it's written on.
Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
Wouldn't YOU rather learn by someone else's mistakes? So would they.

'78 Bay, 2 litre 091 box, EJ20 NA & the ashtray's on the 'right' side.
I don't lean forward for hills any more
Bugger, missed out on "Live fast, die young"

[rusty69bus]

i think your right, but it may be to late. alot of american companies seem quite eager to replicate someone elses design, especially in metal working tools see "metalmmert" web pages.
it's really down to can you win against them
_________________