There is no original thought...

This subject - copying, that is - comes up every now and then on the lampworking forums that I frequent.  I try to stay out of those threads because there's nothing guaranteed to turn people in raving loons faster than the mention of one person "stealing" another person's idea.

I've long believed that we are fast approaching the point where there is no more original thought. Let's face it...just about everything we do, write, create, say, is inspired by something or someone else.  I remember one time...the sheer lunacy of it...when a pal from college was almost expelled from her program for using the phrase "The house is red".  

Having said all of that...maybe we are inspired by things we see, hear, etc but even the blindest of the blind can tell when you've blatently ripped someone off.  Where am I going with this?  Well, recently it was pointed out to me that a reputable vendor is now manufacturing a tool for lampworkers.  Not that the manufacturing of tools is a bad thing....it's that this vendor took a tool being made by another person and pretty much copied it down to the last nut and bolt.

You judge for yourself.

Original

Not so original

I'm mad.  Mad on behalf of the toolmaker who spent all of his time, energy, and effort to create quality products for our lampworking community who then gets totally ripped off by this larger manufacturing company.  I'm curious to know what the ripoff is going to cost.  Are they going to try to undercut the little guy on top of ripping off his design?

I urge you to get mad.  Money talks and you should speak loudly by refusing to do business with such a shady, underhanded, un-principled business.  I also urge you to pass this information along to anyone you know who may be considering buying such a tool.  They deserve to know!!