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[details=Spoiler]Also mandatory Sailor Moon Reaction Pic
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Didn’t we all had this debate before, I mean come on who really cares who copies who any more.
Ether way who need netflix when there forum drama.
ugh… I hate the drama. But credit should be given where it is due.
It wont happen though… we are lucky to have innovators in this community like PA and support them.
I have my reservations on this thread existing in the first place.
However, as long as this stuff remains in this thread only, and that it doesn’t devolve into anything worse, I’ll let it stay for now.
You know, aside from the “copy cat actuators” thing, I have yet to see this alleged onslaught of attacks from FA in my time here (slightly over a year), it’s always the other way around- and I get the FA newsletter. FA can’t do anything without getting attacked by you guys. Competition is what it is, I’ve said all I need to there. If you want something to be exclusive, understand what it takes- don’t be so naive as to expect mercy from competitors. Dealing with people moving in on “your turf” and copying your product is part of doing business, that isn’t going to change. Find me any other market, niche or not, where un-patented things aren’t copied, non exclusive items aren’t sold to other vendors, and I’ll find you a unicorn. Even when things are patented and made exclusive, competitors do everything they can to copy or tweak within the law (or regardless of the law if we’re talking China). A business does not always have to innovate to be successful, and copying rarely actually harms innovation- it actually drives it more often than not. Without that competition, businesses become complacent- look at the US auto industry before Japan stepped in as a major player. Yes, some people are harmed when they lose in competition, but that’s life.
Jasen: I get why you are sour at FA, but I also get why they pulled the rug on your deal. I’ve had nothing but extremely positive experiences dealing with you, and I will continue to support your business when it re-opens, but I get the other side too. I understand that you’re pissed, but jumping on the anti FA dog pile every time they do something doesn’t reflect well on your otherwise outstanding character.
FA has given me excellent service (as has Jasen’s Customs) every time I’ve ordered from them- fast shipping, fast, helpful tech support when I was new, excellent communication, smooth transactions, and good sales. Also, I have yet to see anyone else left hanging when a question or issue pops up in their thread. Where else have you seen this among the competition?
Camacho, you are correct, many industries copy others, but this is a community, or at least it used to be. A wise person told me tonight, perspective…
We will keep innovating and I will keep trying to do what I can to make this community a better place. I guess I lack the perspective at looking at everyone as dollar sign and see the community as a place to give, instead of take. We may not answer every email as quickly as we should, but we work hard to bring everything we can to what we do. I am an inventor, not a marketer, and not a PR person. So I’ll stick with what I’m good at and enjoy. We produce more custom products than any other vendor here has. We do this because we can and it’s what we enjoy doing.
But we do have other things in life… and right now I have an 8 year old who broke his arm and it needs to be fixed. So excuse me from the conversation, I have to head to the hospital and do my day job at 10pm at night. 
OK I will add one more thing instead of rebumping the thread (I am home it’s midnight and the arm is straight again, win for the night!) @PinoyPryde brought of Lizard Lick who, before they disappeared was able to get IL to do white joysticks. No one had done them before, and everyone let Lizard Lick have them as their product until they disappeared. Don’t worry this is not a foreshadow, PAS is not disappearing any time soon, however will be moving to MN in August and then if contract negotiations work out, to the north east in August 2016!
Sounds like Focus Attack is the Brian Williams of Tech Talk. LOL.
Can we not choose where we buy parts from and choose to keep our voices down? I mean I hate Walmart but I don’t downplay them and refuse their services. Despite most of their stuff being knockoff of other things and just generic in general.
We are being supplied with arcade goods and frankly I am glad we have more than one option when we choose to order some parts
Trying to avoid feeding the wal-mart machine is extremely difficult for many people because in some towns, it’s almost the only place you can shop. Especially if you have needs a mom & pop grocer can’t meet. I’m not saying it’s always right, but sometimes you’re left with few options. This is world wide industry though, big commerce and we’re talking a completely different situation. The situation we have on our hands is a small, community driven one. Friendly competition is good, and most of the guys in the business all know each other and are cool with each other.
Frankly, shopping at FA is voting with your wallet that their behavior is acceptable. This doesn’t mean you have to shop at PAS, there are other alternatives if you don’t want to shop at either. A good alternative is ArcadeShock. They work hard to bring new things to the table and do an amazing job at not making jabs at vendors because they pretty much don’t come around these parts and butt heads, nor do I see them making public statements about competitors and their products. They’re good people. I would say AkiShop is an alternative but they have some things they should work out. They do have a good selection, though. eTokki is also a great place to shop. Laugh is a great guy, extremely humble, loves bringing a bit of innovation to the table and they have a pretty decent selection.
So, this guy deserves your money, right? This is a perfect example of what we’re talking about. This is how it all starts. Everyone is fine and happy, then something like this comes up. It goes ignored, but multiple posts keep perpetuating the lies. People, such as @butteroj have corrected public statements made by Jaleel only to have them deleted while Jaleel keeps the narrative going. He deleted comments by @butteroj and @NENDO. What is there to do? This is clearly damaging, damages the product’s reputation as well as the company’s reputation. When confronted, we become the bad guys. So, we go long periods without confronting while he blabs his mouth (or in the case of typing, furiously) on his platform where he has control and then something blows up here and we finally feel we can speak up a little bit without getting blasted or called big meanies.
We’ve wondered several times how to go about this. It can’t go in his thread because it will get deleted. It can’t go on facebook because it gets deleted. Using our own platform (our own facebook pages or twitters) to fight the battle would make it worse since it would further stain PAS’ company image (from their company page, friends of PAS is not all that big a deal) as spreading drama rather than conducting business. Why is it ok to use newsletters and facebook to spread rumors and make false claims but its not ok to post in a public forum where there can be discourse without censorship? Well, mostly uncensored.
That’s your prime example of damning evidence (from November of 2013, no less)? “Team PAS” (headed by you) does much worse on a constant basis. It sure as shit seems to me that your side is the one who resorts to trash talking as a substitute for actual competition. Basically what your argument boils down to is that a) competition is only ok as long as it’s no threat to PAS, b) Jaleel operates his business like a competent businessman should, and c) PAS & so and so are nice people, so you should buy from them rather than that evil, greedy businessman. In my year here, the mudslinging has came entirely from your side- Jaleel has tried to deal with your onslaughts as professionally as possible rather than roll around in the dirt. Even accepting your premise that the picture you just posted was a heinous jab, who do you think gives a shit, or even gets it beyond 15 or 20 people on this forum? How is that comparable to you directly telling people “DO NOT BUY FROM FA” both here and in the trading outlet? Do you really think any more than 15 or 20 people give a flying fuck that so and so claims that so and so copied their design on a goddamn simple piece of molded plastic? All this “community” talk translates to a feeble cry for protection from competition. It’s empty hippie bullshit- nothing more than vague feel good talk as a substitute for rational thought.
You want to know what I support by shopping with FA? Excellent customer service, a well organized page, and good deals (that you don’t have to spend $100 and know a hush hush code that may or may not work to get)- a far cry from the R. Kelly style service that other vendors dish out (which I can dig up numerous examples of if need be). No, I don’t think Jaleel is a saint, but neither are people who treat their customers poorly- from a business perspective, having your competitors pissed at you is very much preferable to pissing off your customers. Being buddy buddy with a few customers is great, but there’s more to customer service than a warm personality, a big smile, and a firm handshake.
I get it, Bryan is your friend, and you have a shared rage towards FA because a) it’s competition that’s actually a threat, and b) some very shrewd business moves on his part. If you want to fight FA, do it by competing like businessmen and stop chucking slime around in public. Be smart and don’t get burnt by him or anyone else in the future, learn from your mistakes. You keep accusing FA of slime chucking, but at this point you’ve tossed far more yourself, and your slime is far more poisonous and direct. Like I said, I get FA’s newsletter, and I’ve “liked” them on FB- I have never seen anything remotely resembling the level of vitriol that you dish out.
Dude, how many fucking times do I have to mention that competition is healthy? How many times do I have to mention what unhealthy competition is? You’re going in circles and haven’t addressed many of the points made in this thread.
Also, that attitude right there makes me think twice about finishing up the Universal Gate and releasing it.
Okay, this is going exactly where I didn’t want it to go.
Locking.