I have sent the following message to the seller via the eBay web site:

   This is an unauthorized "pirate" copy of the warp13 
   programmer as per Jim Robertson. If you do not remove 
   this listing immediately, I and other members of the 
   PIC community will complain to eBay and fund 
   Mr. Robertson's legal claim against you.

Hopefully, if a few other PICListers are willing to take the time to send a
similar message, he will buy a clue and buckle. If not, I will email eBay to
complain about the listing. 

I've also send the following note to the one bidder on this item:

   You should be aware that the item you are bidding on 
   is an UNAUTHORIZED "pirate" copy of the warp13 programmer 
   (as per Jim Robertson who designed and sold this device 
   for years) Please see:
   http://www.newfoundelectronics.com/

I also personally pledge $50 to Jim to help support any legal bills. It is
the absolute least I can do after the years of helping PICListers that Jim
has taken the time to do. Not to mention providing a good product and
discovering and publishing any number of programmability problems with the
PIC chips.

Anyone who has or hopes to sell a PIC related product, competitive or
otherwise, should seriously consider what happens when this sort of crap is
allowed to take place. Jim may or may not have a legal course, but on top of
that, the community may have some effect as well. 

At best, emails from 2000 odd PICListers will be hard to ignore.

---
James Newton: PICList webmaster/Admin
mailto:jamesnewton@piclist.com  1-619-652-0593 phone
http://www.piclist.com/member/JMN-EFP-786
PIC/PICList FAQ: http://www.piclist.com


 
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu 
> [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Jim Robertson
> Sent: 2005 Apr 14, Thu 07:34
> To: piclist@mit.edu
> Subject: [PIC] WARP-13 pirate! Help needed
> 
> 
> Sorry if you don't think the PICLIST is the right place for 
> this. I think it is as it has a ripple effect right though 
> the PIC world.
> 
> ...
> 
> Regretfully, one of my former resellers has taken it upon 
> himself to copy the WARP-13 and sell it with my software and 
> firmware totally and completely without my permission.
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=73154&i
tem=7507543289&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW#ShippingPayment
> 
> ebay item 7507543289
> 
> Sadly, all WARP-13 software and firmware has now been removed 
> from my web site and it will not be made available until this 
> matter is resolved.
> 
> Frankly, I do not know exactly what legal protections I have. 
> Can anyone provide concrete information that may assist 
> myself in knowing and enforcing my rights to protect my IP.
> 
> Anyone who sincerely believes that they can provide any 
> information that they have good reason to believe is accurate 
> and worthwhile for me to follow is invited to offer comments 
> (publicly or privately as they feel
> appropriate) on
> the following points.
> 
> I think that he cannot use the name WARP13a given that it has 
> been associated with NEWFOUND ELECTRONICS since 1999. Right?
> 
> He certainly cannot use my text taken from my web site. I did 
> give him permission previously due to the fact that he was a 
> genuine reseller but surely this implicitly meant only while 
> he was a reseller.
> 
> He may well be able to use my circuit providing he does not 
> copy my artwork.
> 
> He cannot download my firmware and put it into his 
> counterfeit WARP13's
> 
> He cannot represent this product as his own as he is using my 
> firmware and software.
> 
> He cannot represent that this is a product of NEWFOUND 
> ELECTRONICS or claim any existing relationship with NEWFOUND 
> ELECTRONICS.
> 
> I am about to contact ebay and submit a NOCI form. I am 
> looking to further follow up this matter and if you can help 
> please do so.
> 
> 
> To WARP-13 owners:
> 
> I hope to be able to repost all the latest WARP13 updates 
> again shortly.
> Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you need an 
> update urgently please contact me directly.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jim Robertson
> NEWFOUND ELECTRONICS
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 


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