Yes, it is piracy in a way -- intellectual property is being stolen in most cases.
I thought about doing it once but decided against it as a sign of respect to the real innovators I looked up to (I also didn't want to deal with the headaches of customer support). That won't change anymore. I've also patronized the local scene once or twice. I don't see myself doing it again anymore, either.
On the other hand, far be it from me to look down upon those who do.
Where's the creativity in that?
In the paintjob and graphics of the enclosure, primarily, lol...
I agree that builders should rely less on cloning. But that's admittedly a tall order.
I also agree regarding resale value. I'm sure a lot of people have noticed, but nobody seems to talk about it.
Let's face it people -- most of us who try to save by patronizing local clones end up trying to re-sell them (myself included). For something like a
mint na may kaunting gasgas Boss SD-1 that you bought brand new, you can probably get away with a P500 depreciation and sell it fairly quick. Good luck in trying to get the same results for a Sebastienn Texas Flood (aka Tubescreamer clone). I mean it could still happen, but the likelihood isn't promising.
