fluke, you make neat stuff, but really you r killing sparkfun

[Bored@Work]

In the end it looks like both groups came out ahead and nothing with the "system" changed.  "Same as it ever was."

Actually, sparkfun lost. Should they ever get caught again importing a few thousand yellow/gray meters they no longer have the excuse of "but we didn't know", and Fluke is unlikely to bail them out again.

Fluke won. At the cost of some small change for them they got their message across. Not only to sparkfun, but to other importers, too, who happened to read the story.

And why should a low-profile, small change, single event change a system that is a few thousand years old? Controlling imports and exports, charging customs or denying the import of unwanted goods aren't exactly new inventions.

[Noise Floor]

In the end it looks like both groups came out ahead and nothing with the "system" changed.  "Same as it ever was."

Actually, sparkfun lost. Should they ever get caught again importing a few thousand yellow/gray meters they no longer have the excuse of "but we didn't know", and Fluke is unlikely to bail them out again.

Looking at the event timeline, I base my comment from the point where SF had the equipment seized with no recourse on that equipment loss.  By making a spectacle about it they achieved massive brand publicity and got Fluke to give them a bunch of product at no cost which in turn they donated getting them further branding goodwill.  I don't view this as a loss by any means.  If you are saying they would be better off had they never got caught, that is a possibility, but again, I was speaking from the point they had the equipment seized.

Fluke won. At the cost of some small change for them they got their message across. Not only to sparkfun, but to other importers, too, who happened to read the story.

Agreed. 

And why should a low-profile, small change, single event change a system that is a few thousand years old? Controlling imports and exports, charging customs or denying the import of unwanted goods aren't exactly new inventions.

I was referring to over arching brand likeness protections like the color "yellow", not the customs system as a whole.   Was just trying to highlight that given the amount of energy applied to this case, there appears to be no resulting changes in how these things are applied.  Depending on one's view this is either because the system works as it should or its a bureaucratic maze that will likely never change.

[dannyf]

fluke, you make neat stuff, but really you r killing sparkfun

What's so wrong about killing sparkfun?

[dr.diesel]

fluke, you make neat stuff, but really you r killing sparkfun

What's so wrong about killing sparkfun?

WTF, Seriously?  You must know something I don't, Nate get caught clubbing kittens or snorting lines off a srippers ass, or similar?

[dannyf]

WTF, Seriously?  You must know something I don't, Nate get caught clubbing kittens or snorting lines off a srippers ass, or similar?

I don't know - as I never looked - but that doesn't mean he didn't (or did) any of that or worse.

Still, that doesn't answer the question: why is it so wrong to kill sparkfun?

[dr.diesel]

I don't know - as I never looked - but that doesn't mean he didn't (or did) any of that or worse.

Still, that doesn't answer the question: why is it so wrong to kill sparkfun?

Because arbitrarily killing is bad.

[dannyf]

Agree. But, you have to show that this killing of sparkfun is arbitrary.

[dr.diesel]

Agree. But, you have to show that this killing of sparkfun is arbitrary.

We are innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around.

[dannyf]

That's why fluke is doing (threatening to take sparkfun to court), right? Fluke isn't "killing" sparkfun, as in your definition.

But still, even if killing here is in the sense of commercially crushing sparkfun, what's so bad about it?

[dr.diesel]

what's so bad about it?

 

[Skimask]

Was at AVC2014 yesterday.
Saw one of these meters sitting on the "demo" table.
The SF person I talked to said they didn't have any idea that this matter had drawn so much 'attention' in the community.

[zapta]

What's so wrong about killing sparkfun?

Who said it's wrong?

Is undesired.