Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Server Problems?
Many of the photos and especially the link icons in the sidebar are not available at the moment. Also, the "Jerry the Geek's Video Shooting Gallery" is not available. I assume this is a server problem, and will be corrected eventually.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Texas Star design specifications
Over the past year I've posted a lot of photos and videos of "The Texas Star", Bobby Wright's "Five-Point Surprise", and Bill Marr's "Evil Star". Folks are attracted to these interesting, challenging target designs and they write to me with either general or specific questions about the design. The most common theme: "I'd like to build me one of these!"
Most of these correspondents are extra-national, which is to say they don't live in the United States where shipping charges are probably not going to exceed the purchase price of the target. (In fact, you may find one or more of these vendors at major matches in the Continental United States.)
But when you ask me to provide design specifications so you can build your own, I have to say ... I can't do that.
These folks are engineers, or machinists ... usually both. When they build a target, they have invested their time and talents and materials to provide a product. They have created these targets to sell. They're trying to make a living, and if I provide design specifications to you the result is that I am undermining their business.
I refuse to do this.
I have posted photos and videos of these products because I believe in a Free Market economy, and Capitalism, and if someone makes a better mousetrap (or a better IPSC target) they deserve whatever compensation returnable from the market which THEY have developed.
You can search my blog for keywords which may provide links to photos and movies of these new targets. If you can't find contact information there, please write me (my email address is ALWAYS available at the bottom of every page) and I will provide as much contact information as I have or I can find.
When you and the manufacturer of a product have access to each other, then you can decide whether you will buy a target, or a license (including design specifications and/or parts list) to manufacture or retail them.
Now, I know that this will not be a satisfactory to most of you who consider yourself perfectly competent to build a Star target. I'm truly sorry to disappoint you, because I share your enthusiasm for these designs and I would like to see them being used in IPSC matches all over the world.
Please understand that I have not marketing agreement with any of these target manufacturers. My only concern is to encourage the development of new target designs, and to allow entrepreneurs to reap the benefits of their ingenuity and their labor.
Again, I will do whatever is necessary to put you in touch with these manufacturers/designers. But my articles are intended for entertainment and general information only.
So please don't ask me to tell you how to build a Texas Star, or a Five Point Surprise, or an Evil Star. I'll just spend a lot of time telling you "NO". I'll feel bad because I cannot, in good conscience, help you to build your own pirated version. And you'll be disappointed by my recalcitrance.
Most of these correspondents are extra-national, which is to say they don't live in the United States where shipping charges are probably not going to exceed the purchase price of the target. (In fact, you may find one or more of these vendors at major matches in the Continental United States.)
But when you ask me to provide design specifications so you can build your own, I have to say ... I can't do that.
These folks are engineers, or machinists ... usually both. When they build a target, they have invested their time and talents and materials to provide a product. They have created these targets to sell. They're trying to make a living, and if I provide design specifications to you the result is that I am undermining their business.
I refuse to do this.
I have posted photos and videos of these products because I believe in a Free Market economy, and Capitalism, and if someone makes a better mousetrap (or a better IPSC target) they deserve whatever compensation returnable from the market which THEY have developed.
You can search my blog for keywords which may provide links to photos and movies of these new targets. If you can't find contact information there, please write me (my email address is ALWAYS available at the bottom of every page) and I will provide as much contact information as I have or I can find.
When you and the manufacturer of a product have access to each other, then you can decide whether you will buy a target, or a license (including design specifications and/or parts list) to manufacture or retail them.
Now, I know that this will not be a satisfactory to most of you who consider yourself perfectly competent to build a Star target. I'm truly sorry to disappoint you, because I share your enthusiasm for these designs and I would like to see them being used in IPSC matches all over the world.
Please understand that I have not marketing agreement with any of these target manufacturers. My only concern is to encourage the development of new target designs, and to allow entrepreneurs to reap the benefits of their ingenuity and their labor.
Again, I will do whatever is necessary to put you in touch with these manufacturers/designers. But my articles are intended for entertainment and general information only.
So please don't ask me to tell you how to build a Texas Star, or a Five Point Surprise, or an Evil Star. I'll just spend a lot of time telling you "NO". I'll feel bad because I cannot, in good conscience, help you to build your own pirated version. And you'll be disappointed by my recalcitrance.
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