Quoted from Dmod:They are benefiting from the work that Russ, I, and others have already done... today.
With regard to ColorDMD and the rights holders, both WMS/PPS and Stern were contacted before we ever released anything for their games. There was no issue with what we were doing and the integrity of their IP was protected.
In contrast, the project leads that have been affected believe that Joerg/Steve's use of our innovations has been highly unethical (at the least) whether you care to agree or not.
The information is available. Russ and I have shared some of it here. The community will ultimately decide what they want to support.
I'd like to see ColorDMD development continue as it does now for as long as possible, but will adapt if needed.
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Also, as commented upon in another thread, the saying is "Necessity is the mother of invention." The innovations by ColorDMD, PinDMD, and others filled a perceived "need."
I've never seen any argument that supports copying as breeding innovation. Though maybe "innovation breeds copying" is true.
No-one is benefiting from your work except you, your collaborators and your customers.
Unless you're going to substantiate general claims of theft with specific accusations or evidence of the use of your firmware or software code, or the code from the colouring files, then there is nothing to see here.
I don't know the details of Russ' case except for the he said, she said. But others definitely have benefited from his work. It's a question of permission. His code was used, and sold, and on an identical hardware kit. The case you plead isn't remotely similar.
A very broad, vague patent, the contents of which others are 'using', or in your mind violating, is a classic case of why the US patent system is so broken, and why so much patent trolling and inhibition of innovation takes place. There are many articles and essays decrying how unethical the system is.
If what you claim to be so innovative was really so ground breaking, I have to ask why, if not before, then certainly after PIN2DMD appeared, you haven't applied for and been granted patents in Germany?
Furthermore, what would you have done if the license holders had said "we want you to pay $XX license fee per unit" ?
You'd have refused and explained you were not using their IP, due to the method employed. That's specifically why you (and others) have done it the way you have. It's not a patent worthy innovation, it's just the path of least resistance to avoid either getting sued or having to pay license fees.
If - big *IF* - Luis or others manage to grab all of your colouring data, then you will certainly have something to complain about, though given the suggested method it's unlikely there would be anything illegal about it.
The more you sabre rattle and accuse people of theft, the more determined you'll make some people to take actions that actually will harm your business, and use the work you and your collaborators have worked so hard on. So why pre-empt it? You're cutting off your nose to spite your face.