Date:	Thu, 23 Mar 1995 02:12:15 -1000
From:	tanaka_be@swam1.enet.dec.com (Bert Tanaka)
Message-Id: <9503231210.AA02248@us3rmc.pa.dec.com>
Organization: Harvard University Office of Information Technology
Subject: Comments

"mauricio@tezcat.com" "Mauricio Araujo" writes:
/Subj:   BFK & Shanti
/
/I received the BFK catalog the other day. I was happy to see the Air F/X
/by Aerie Kites (page 6 first column first row). It think that this is one
/of the most beautiful kites that I seen in a long time. Then to my
/surprise I flip to the back cover and see the Allegro by Shanti. Those
/graphics are surprising similar. Now I ask my self why would a jumbo huge
/kite company want to copy the graphics of a small kite manufacture. Could
/they want to cause market confusion? No, that could lead to unfair trade
/practices. The jumbo kite company would not want to steal sales (ann drive
/one out of business). This is too evil a thought, even for me. Yeah,
/right.
/
/Comments.
Sorry, but except for a vaguely similar color scheme, the two kites
look way different to me.  If I had paid someone to clone the F/X, and
he had given me an Allegro, then I'd be asking for my money back because
its such a lousy imitation. 

I don't think that I would ever get these two kites confused with each
other.  The graphics in question aren't exclusive or unique:  dark keel,
light wings, dark tips.  Pretty basic stuff.  If anything, it seems
to me that the F/X, by using mono-colored panels, doesn't leverage a
very clever sail design into a stronger marketing advantage because
this downplays one of the features that does make it distinct and innovative.

If you are suggesting that one company is copying the other, then I 
respectfully disagree.  Based on this example, not even close.

Bert


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