Re: Piecepack Pyramids

[Ron Hale-Evans <rwhe@...>]

In my answers to your questions, Dalek #3, I am assuming that
"Icehouse" refers to the game system (stackable, coloured, plastic
pyramids) and not to the game of the same name (the turnless,
boardless, positional game).

On Mon, Jun 03, 2002 at 12:49:38AM -0000, dalek_no3 wrote:
> Questions: 
> 1) Do you dispute the creativity of Icehouse?

Yes.  As I have already stated, I think there is plenty of prior art,
notably Pyramidis, but also Domination and some other games.

But why don't you ask Andy?  He's had several days to weigh in on
the question of prior art, but has declined to do so.

> 2) Do you dispute that Andy Looney created Icehouse?

In the sense that Icehouse is not original, yes I do.

> 3) Do you really think that Andy Looney is going to be taking anyone 
> to court any time in the near (or even distant) future?

He says he isn't going to take anyone to court in the near future, but
if some big company like Hasbro (in the "distant future") began
manufacturing a game with plastic pyramids, yes, I believe he would.
I also believe he would lose.

In any case, you don't have to file a single court brief to cause
damage to other people.  Have you never heard of a "chilling effect"?
If not, I recommend you visit the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse
<http://www.chillingeffect.org/>; it's a great site.

The definition of "chilling effect" is "the deterrent effect of legal
threats or posturing, largely cease and desist letters independent of
litigation, on lawful conduct."  IMHO, Andy's patent, his essay, his
initial posturing that piecepack pyramids infringe on his patent, and
his later statement that whether they do is "debatable" may already
have had a chilling effect on the piecepack community and the current
manufacturers, Mesomorph Games.  (How many Icehouse devotees have
already decided that the piecepack is "uncool"?)

> 4) Considering the cost in producing Icehouse, do you think that the 
> price is unreasonable?  There's a difference between good stewardship 
> and greed.  Manufacturing a product and selling it for a loss is just 
> plain bad stewardship.

I have no idea what the cost is in producing Icehouse pieces, so I have
no basis for answering this question.

> 5) If you answered "no" to those questions, what is the debate?

Since I answered three out of your four questions above with at least
a qualified "yes", does that make the debate any clearer for you?

Ron H-E

-- 
         Ron Hale-Evans ... rwhe@... & rwhe@...
           Center for Ludic Synergy, Seattle Cosmic Game Night, 
Kennexions Glass Bead Game &  Positive Revolution FAQ: http://www.ludism.org/
Home page & Hexagram-8 I Ching Mailing List: http://www.apocalypse.org/~rwhe/