[AJD] JD Manual scans on CD

[Ron Cook]

Dean,
	This medium does not lend itself well to these types of discussions.  So 
it probably needs to stop.  It gets too confusing.
	I understand what you are saying.  I have been there-done that.  Labor, 
sales, management, owner, employee, employer, and I even worked for the 
damned government at one time.  I have been self employed since 1978.  The 
only way you can control the price of widjits is to be the only source of 
widjits.  Monopoly.  That won't fly in a capitalist society.  You have to 
offer something superior at a fair price.  Or at least priced fairly.  I 
know you shop at Harbor Freight.  Those are mostly knock-offs.  But they 
may be priced fairly.  Or they may be overpriced junk.  They will seek 
whatever level is proper.  So will intellectual property.  Patent and 
copywrite laws are there to protect the owners.  They do need 
enforcing.  However, I don't feel the need to "turn someone in".  I would 
though, if I thought it was hurting my pocketbook.  Human nature.
	  Somehow we got to discussing those db1293 cd's instead of the scanned 
manuals.  Copying those for resale IS not legal.  The contents of that cd 
are still being made available from Deere as I take it.  Just on individual 
cd's instead of all on one.  Runs the cost up.  Selling copies of something 
no longer made available in any form?  I probably would have no problem 
with that.
	I think you are right on the money with these statements:

However, there is one mistake that JD is making in my opinion. That is their
pricing structure allows plenty of room for less than honorable competitors.

	and

What I believe JD has forgotten is that they have long ago received a
payback on their original investment so their Cost of Goods and amortization
of engineering costs have been returned many times over. If JD wanted to
they could block out any future competition. With predatory low prices and
it still would be profitable for them. Any time a company has an
unreasonably high price on their product they are just creating an umbrella
for lower cost alternatives. They have created the artificial environment
and are now having to live with it.

	Okay.  Back to discussing John Deere TRACTORS and equipment.

Ron Cook
Salix, IA