Quote Originally Posted by D.W. View Post
.... I also don't believe that if there is some trade issue in the US that folks in the UK or Australia should care that much as a whole. ...

I doubt many Americans would care that much if someone had a fake Burns guitar.

Nicely summarised.

Personally, I do not see any ethical difference between:
  1. A Veritas or Lie Nielsen copy of Stanley product, and
  2. A Chinese copy of Stanley, LN or LV products.

If patents have expired then the patentee has exhausted his IP protection and society then fosters vigorous competition.

I was in China 18 months ago and saw some stuff that will really shake up the market when it eventually filters through to the West. Electrical tools that looked remarkably like Festool and Mafell, but also worked as smoothly as those renowned brands.
eg Festool CXS drill (lookalike and workalike) for c.US$50.

Postscript:
The bottom end of most markets has already been conceded to Chinese products. Probably the best protection for middle market products - Makita, Festool, LN, LV, even Luban - is that the buyers for Walmart, Harbourfreight, Bunnings, etc - are so addicted to buying the cheapest crap that they will not see the gems.


...I doubt many Americans would care that much if someone had a fake Burns guitar. ..
Mmmmm; many more "Rolexes" made in China that Switzerland.