this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2023
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Why are you opposed to offbrand bricks? The way look at it the patents are expired and the purpose of patents is to enable a short term monopoly to create a profit motive for innovation. But after the patents expire then the invention belongs to everyone to build upon.
I dislike 1:1 copies of Lego sets. But copying the bricks is fine with me- and actually a good thing long term I think.
To me, especially when it comes to MOCs, it’s like an art form to work within the limitations of what the branded medium provides, or with digital MOCs, what the branded medium could hypothetically provide. Using offbrand or custom pieces to embellish a LEGO structure feel like “cheating” in a way to me, both in the artistic aspect and the engineering aspect. I’m fine if people want to make communities for Megablox for example, or communities for any or all building blocks brands (excepting ones which support plagiarists like Lepin), but a forum for a branded item/medium should be almost entirely built with brand. There’s also what’s called a generic trademark, wherein a mainstay brand’s name becomes a common term for a type of product (ex. “Kleenex” in lieu of “tissue”), that I’d want to avoid since it makes it harder for clear communication among hobbyists and worse for the brand (and in this one case, I generally do like the brand).
Oh, you are opposed to offbrand bricks being discussed in the Lego community. Not just like opposed in general. I agree honestly. And I understand your position now :)
Yes, except if it’s in reference to LEGO™️ content (ex. “LEGO should make a piece like this Megablox piece”, or “LEGO‘s print quality is so much better than [offbrand competitor]”)
I’m opposed in general in the sense that I don’t buy them but if someone wants to buy Megablox or another legitimate competitor, I’m fine with that. Like you, I am opposed in general to plagiarist brands.
As a MOC builder, it doesn't matter to me what brand I use. I look at it as an art form as well, with the blocks being my medium. What's important is the final product, not what it's made with. Nobody cares whether Van Gogh used Faber-Castell paints or whatever.
When using non-lego pieces, I restrict myself to pieces that lego themselves also design, so I avoid specialised pieces. I think we both agree that using pieces that exist outside of lego's library of parts is "cheating" in a way.
But then again, lego themselves are making a lot of new parts which are made of other parts... Funnily enough, some of the new parts they're making, I could have sworn they were made by megabloks many years ago :) but that's a different rant for another time.
Great summary of the Constitution's IP clause.
Patens are expired, bricks are fair game to copy.
Sets designs and appearance are copyrighted so for sure copies of sets is piracy.
I prefer only Lego brand bricks. Sometimes I buy bulk bricks for my son at a local used Lego store and there are always a few off brand bricks. I usually remove them and throw them out. They don't go together as well sometimes, and all the time the colors aren't quite right. Even if the color does match, the color fades a little and always fades differently on off brand bricks. Just prefer the real thing.
The used Lego store has used bricks in bulks for $6 a pound, and you can pick and choose what pieces you want. For three bucks you can get half a pound of rare, genuine bricks, if you know what you're looking for. Great value.