QTR-Quadtone RIP

I'm not sure it will make any difference, but I'm writing to the President, and
would encourage everyone else to also. Here's the letter I'm sending. I'm sure a
much better letter could be written, but this is what I have time for right now.

--Daniel

President George W. Bush
The White House 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

November 4, 2007

Re: ITC Ruling Regarding Epson Cartridges

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing to you about the October 19, 2007 decision of the International
Trade Commission (Section 337; Investigation in the Matter of Certain Ink
Cartridges and Components Thereof; Inv. No. 337-TA-565), which must
apparently receive your explicit approval before becoming law.

The ruling essentially prevents any third-party manufacturers from competing
with Epson on ink cartridges. The issues at stake here do not involve complex
technology; the ruling covers the simple, external physical features of the
cartridge that must be matched to ensure compatibility.

Allowing such a ruling to pass would severely damage the free market in ink and
cartridges, and would give Epson a monopoly on Epson-compatible ink
cartridges. This is like allowing a flashlight manufacturer to prevent third parties
from competing on batteries.

The ruling would have 3 bad consequences for the US economy. First, Epson's
monopoly would allow it to increase prices with impunity. Second, it would
damage the network of domestic companies that provide Epson-compatible inks
and cartridges. Third -- and this is my own personal concern -- it would cripple
the market in specialty inks that serious photographers rely on for which Epson
has no comparable product. 

A large community of black-and-white photographers use Epson printers with
specialized high-quality inks designed and manufactured by small US
companies, such as MIS Associates (of Michigan), Cone Editions (of Vermont), and
Media Street (of New York). The ruling would prevent these companies from
selling empty cartridges, and would thus undermine their ability to sell their
inks. The entire industry of specialty black and white inks is threatened by this
ruling.

I hope therefore that you will choose to preserve a free market in this area, and
protect an important domestic community of consumers and manufacturers, by
not signing the order.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Jackson