Author Topic: Cabinet Plans for sale on eBay...some look...familiar. (Read 2765 times)

SirPeale · « **on:** February 16, 2004, 10:29:59 am »

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3274760742&category=13716

zaphod · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2004, 11:26:52 am »

I thought the same thing when I saw the same auction the other night. This is at least the second posting of it. The first sold more than 10 copies. I sent an email to MiniMame Saturday asking if that was his auction but received no reply back. Name on the auction was different.

SirPeale · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2004, 02:38:17 pm »

I do not believe it is his. Looks like an information reseller.

Frostillicus · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2004, 08:37:20 pm »

after reading his feedback, it's clear he sells pirated movies, too..or 'backups'. I'd report him...tho I thought we weren't listing ebay auctions anymore here.

SirPeale · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2004, 09:15:54 pm »

Not listing them for ROMs, no...but these are free cabinet plans that out bretheren have made. I thought they would want to know.

CM · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2004, 09:56:23 pm »

Quote from: Peale on February 16, 2004, 09:15:54 pm

Not listing them for ROMs, no...but these are free cabinet plans that out bretheren have made. I thought they would want to know.

Well I know one that won't be happy because he raised a stink about it here awhile back. The first plans displayed on the ebay link are the Ultimate Arcade I plans from mameroom.com. I was an early adopter that got them while they were free but I know he charges for them now. I might fire him a little email on this.

paigeoliver · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:36:48 am »

If people are too lazy to search for free plans then let them pay!

And also, about the Mameroom plans, if there was no provision in there limiting distribution back when they were free, then the mameroom guy is going to have a hard time defending himself against people distributing the old free version.

If you (I forgot your name, think it was cypher or cyber or something), happen to read this, I do suggest making at least one small unimportant design change so you can easily tell your old plans from your new ones.

It would never make it to court anyway, since (as far as I have been able to tell), most if not all specialty Mame sellers are one man operations, no matter how much they try to pass themselves off as "real companies", and thus don't really have the financing to go around suing people.

Btw, not knocking any of the wonderful "One man operations" out there. I am just suggesting that some of you resellers who always talk in terms of "we", and such just go ahead and take credit for your operations (some of which are painfully transparent, if it takes more than one person to run a website that sells cabinet plans, then someone is getting a paycheck for nothing). The most respected operations in the industry (Kelsey, Andy, Bob Roberts), are all one man jobs. Many people would rather deal with a person rather than a faceless dot.com anyway.

zaphod · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:55:26 am »

Quote from: paigeoliver on February 17, 2004, 06:36:48 am

If people are too lazy to search for free plans then let them pay!

This individual is making money off other's efforts. He is even claiming that he created all the cabs and plans himself, not that these were plans found on the web. Hopefully this doesn't deter other cabinet builders from posting free plans on their sites.

paigeoliver · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:45:28 am »

Oh, I agree, but I also know that you can't fight stupidity. As long as people are stupid enough to pay, someone will sell. Get him kicked off ebay and someone else will soon be selling the same thing. I almost think it would be best to completely ignore it, which would eventually result in 20 people selling the same disc for 99 cents, at which point they aren't making any money at all (like many of the other information discs on ebay).

As for the commercial plans included. That is a risk anyone basing their business on downloads is going to have to take. If cabinet plans were my deal I would only sell them on paper. Which would make them a lot less likely to end up on ebay on a compilation disc.

Of course if I was selling cabinet plans I would probably take a different strategy altogether and offer them this way. The cabinet plans would ONLY be available on paper, and would come free with a starter kit. A starter kit would consist of the plans (on paper), all the metal brackets and cabinet feet and marquee rails and such (you know, the oddball parts). With perhaps a "Deluxe" option that included pre-made control panel and iron on edge molding. That way the prospective buyer could build quickly and easily without having to purchase a lot of specialty tools.

Although if I sold cabinet plans they would likely be for one piece cabinets that were designed for 19" displays and did not have protruding 4 foot wide control panels, so I doubt anyone would buy them anyway!

Would that work? I think so. Am I going to do it, nah.

Quote from: zaphod on February 17, 2004, 06:55:26 am

Quote from: paigeoliver on February 17, 2004, 06:36:48 am
If people are too lazy to search for free plans then let them pay!

This individual is making money off other's efforts. He is even claiming that he created all the cabs and plans himself, not that these were plans found on the web. Hopefully this doesn't deter other cabinet builders from posting free plans on their sites.

Sephroth57 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2004, 09:00:37 am »

i agree with paige, if people are dumb enough to waste their money on free plans then why should we stop them. everyone talking about how we should report these guys, reminds me of the dumb kids in school that would tell the teacher on someone. just mind your own buisness...

SirPeale · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:28:50 am »

Sephroth57, you're getting the wrong idea. The people that made those plans made them to be free, not so people could just take them and resell them.

Kyle Lindstom has gone out of his way to make excellent plans for Midway cocktail tables. Those plans are for free. Yet someone takes them and sells them. They're his intelectual property, and he says they should be free for all time. You're saying no, because you 'don't want to tell?'

Frostillicus · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:33:19 am »

Well Peale that's a good point - I couldn't even find a link to ebay's report an auction thing. Hey is this the same guy where the BYOAC'er called him up at his house? Man that was funny - who was that? I totally forget...

Sephroth57 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2004, 12:03:39 pm »

Quote from: Peale on February 17, 2004, 11:28:50 am

Sephroth57, you're getting the wrong idea. The people that made those plans made them to be free, not so people could just take them and resell them.

Kyle Lindstom has gone out of his way to make excellent plans for Midway cocktail tables. Those plans are for free. Yet someone takes them and sells them. They're his intelectual property, and he says they should be free for all time. You're saying no, because you 'don't want to tell?'

well yeah i guess it is wrong that hes selling plans that are intended to be free. but theyre not my plans.. so i dont think its my buisness to get involved. its like, if you saw some guy selling bootleg videos on the street are you actually gonna go tell a cop theres some guy down there doin that?

SirPeale · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2004, 12:11:45 pm »

You're comparing apples and oranges. Similar (they're both fruits) but different context.

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2004, 01:59:35 pm »

Quote from: Frostillicus on February 17, 2004, 11:33:19 am

Well Peale that's a good point - I couldn't even find a link to ebay's report an auction thing. Hey is this the same guy where the BYOAC'er called him up at his house? Man that was funny - who was that? I totally forget...

WEST SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE !!!
LMFAO OMG L

L

Somebody post that link again.

Zathras · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2004, 03:24:10 pm »

It looks like the auction is no more. If this happens again maybe someone should spend the buck and put up a very similar auction (with a close title just add the word free) and include the links.

A lot of the plans are not easy to find for the newbies out there (which I am really still one myself) so I can't really blame people for bidding on it.

Also someone who is going to be actually building a mame cab has a good chance of finding their way here so we may be talking about future members.

menace · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2004, 04:12:24 pm »

I sent in the complaint--with I imagine a few other people--not only was he selling other people's plans, he was offering to hook you up with roms--I sent it to ebay as a copyright issue. Good job spotting this!

eightbit · « **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2004, 09:26:09 pm »

Selling someone else's plans is wrong. Posting pictures of other peoples cabinets and claiming you built them is just plain dirty.

Its the principle of the thing really.

wrx2hot4u · « **Reply #18 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:44:40 pm »

Hi All,

As far as im concerned the guy selling those plans would have to be the biggest looser! Someone with no talent and no brains! He even liked the pics to the website that was selling them for free and once the auction was won he then sent the link! What a joker

Thats my 2 cents!

pcdoctor · « **Reply #19 on:** February 18, 2004, 03:15:19 am »

The auction is no longer valid.
A bunch of you guys should have emailed an bidders and warned them.
This happened on the AVSForum a while ago.

pcdoctor · « **Reply #20 on:** February 18, 2004, 03:21:51 am »

I just found this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3273807448&category=13716

menace · « **Reply #21 on:** February 18, 2004, 07:16:49 am »

its so tedious chasing down people that like to get money for nothing--i can see why people don't put free stuff up on that net for others to enjoy--some disckhead always grabs it, puts it on a cd and sells it to the brainless masses--I say its wrong but if they're dumb enough to buy what they can get free then so be it...

Stingray · « **Reply #22 on:** February 18, 2004, 10:54:43 am »

The principle here is not to protect the morons who are willing to pay for what they can get for free, but protecting the intelectual property of the creators who intended for their work to be freely distributed.

-S

wrx2hot4u · « **Reply #23 on:** February 18, 2004, 01:41:01 pm »

Yes, that exactly right! How many people here would care if they started selling MAME as well? I know i would. A guy down my way is selling X-Box mods and MAME with 6000+ roms. Im thinking of reporting him, the X-Box mods fair enough but he got the roms from a guy I know who was selling them for free on a 2 DVD set.

bluGill · « **Reply #24 on:** February 18, 2004, 11:13:53 pm »

If you really want to screw these guys, register the copyright (cost almost nothing). Then wait until it sells and sue. With a copyright that is registered you get tripple damages, meaning you subtract printing costs, and then get tripple that. Make sure you ask for lawyer fees.

Just because you give something away for free doesn't mean you don't own a copyright on it, though best is to put the copyright notice on your original plans right away.

Of course if you really want to do this see a lawyer. There are always catches to the law that I forget about.

Sasquatch! · « **Reply #25 on:** March 03, 2004, 12:46:42 am »

Quote from: SNAAAKE on February 17, 2004, 01:59:35 pm

Quote from: Frostillicus on February 17, 2004, 11:33:19 am
Well Peale that's a good point - I couldn't even find a link to ebay's report an auction thing. Hey is this the same guy where the BYOAC'er called him up at his house? Man that was funny - who was that? I totally forget...

WEST SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE !!!
LMFAO OMG L L

Somebody post that link again.

Someone rang??

http://www.flavacountry.com/archive/2003-12/index.shtml#2003-12-02

greywolf22 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 03, 2004, 11:02:11 am »

Sasquatch,

LOL, I still bust up everytime I hear this (even though it's like the 3rd or 4th time)

Dave_K. · « **Reply #27 on:** March 03, 2004, 02:15:17 pm »

OMG that is so damn funny (just herd that for the first time)! Sasquatch you sound like one of those radio DJ's prank calling someone, with the music loops, and yelling out "mid-westsiiiiidddeee"...."pestisiiiiddddes"....LOL. Damn funny stuff, thanks for making my day!

SNAAAKE · « **Reply #28 on:** March 04, 2004, 12:29:38 am »

Quote from: Sasquatch! on March 03, 2004, 12:46:42 am

http://www.flavacountry.com/archive/2003-12/index.shtml#2003-12-02

GOLD.

pcdoctor · « **Reply #29 on:** March 04, 2004, 04:45:31 am »

Wow!
At least the guy likes your cabinet.

Seriously, that's scary!
Too bad the guy doesn't live in your city.
I wonder if this guy will try to sell other cabinet plans?

pcdoctor · « **Reply #30 on:** March 04, 2004, 04:55:28 am »

I just listened to the mp3 that you recorded.
You are too funny!
It almost sounds like a commercial and/or something from the Jamie Kennedy show!
I'm going to pass this on to my friends in my address book.

Stingray · « **Reply #31 on:** March 04, 2004, 09:32:43 am »

Quote

Uh... is there a number where I can call you back?

I listened the first time this was posted, but it's still funny!

-S


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