---I hate Kubota at times!!!!!!, so long Messick catalogs online...SAD.

[BotaBigot]

...This is being enforced on us from a copyright perspective...

Ah yes, the old "copyright violation" threat. Deja vu. Been there with the music, movie, and software industries. Turns out it had nothing really to do with copyright, but rather their learning how to get their piece of the action in the "online" world...

 

[IdahoTractor]

Ah yes, the old "copyright violation" threat. Deja vu. Been there with the music, movie, and software industries. Turns out it had nothing really to do with copyright.....

It has everything to do with copyright/intellectual property rights. If it didn't, then we wouldn't be seeing all the messages from folks bitterly complaining about the diagrams being removed from Messick's. In other words, lots of folks place a value on being able to have access to Kubota parts and maintenance manuals. Put yourself in Kubota's place, why should they give these away for free?! They are under no obligation to do so. It's a bit presumptuous for us to think that they are.

While I agree with most of the posters that say it may be in Kubota's best interest to have the parts and maintenance manuals freely available, that's not our decision to make.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I forget how many years ago it was but John Deere started putting a ton of models parts diagrams on cds and selling them. I bought the one for the 2 cylinder tractors as that is what I dealt with. Then a few years ago they started giving the cds away to anyone wanting them. Then John Deere put everything online and you can see what the parts cost as you look at the diagrams.

Case-New Holland put all theirs online also but only the diagrams. You then need to take the part number to your local dealer or go to Neils site.

I have used Agcos a couple times a while back but don't remember much about it.

Neil did what John Deere did for all their dealers. Why Kubota doesn't adopt Messicks work and apply it to all their dealers like John Deere is a mystery to me. John Deere automatically links the parts orders to the nearest dealers. I think Kubota is dropping the ball on this and while not everyone needs this service it seems crazy to take it away when so many people do like it and use it.

I have thought about buying a Kubota for use in the vineyard and may still but I am comparing it to the Deere and CNH narrow vineyard tractors. Why would I spend $35-$40k for a new tractor then have to pay more money for the parts books when I can get it for free from just about every other brand? If the Kubota fits the bill better then the other brands then its just something you have to deal with but Kubota is looking very cheap in this situation.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

It has everything to do with copyright/intellectual property rights. If it didn't, then we wouldn't be seeing all the messages from folks bitterly complaining about the diagrams being removed from Messick's. In other words, lots of folks place a value on being able to have access to Kubota parts and maintenance manuals. Put yourself in Kubota's place, why should they give these away for free?! They are under no obligation to do so. It's a bit presumptuous for us to think that they are.

While I agree with most of the posters that say it may be in Kubota's best interest to have the parts and maintenance manuals freely available, that's not our decision to make.

Why should they give these away? Because it would keep them competitive with every other major brand out there who has been doing this on the corporate level for a few years now. Kubota wants to be on of the big players and is trying to crack into the farm market but they do things like this that makes it harder on people who like to use these diagrams for various reasons. Agco, Case-IH, Ford/New Holland and John Deere all have their parts diagrams for vintage to modern tractors available for the general public to see whenever they want. Why would Kubota not want to do the same on a corporate level? Why force a dealer who does strive to provide as much information for the customer to move backwards in terms of progress? It just seems like its all about Kubota wanting to make a dime on everything which in this case only makes them look cheap and desperate when they are the only "major" player who refuses to make parts diagrams public and free.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

If you buy a piece of $20,000 to $50,000 dollar equipment. And you can't throw the books into the finance deal then shame on you. Why is it that when it's free no one will complain but as soon as you request payment for it the crying starts. I think its smart of Kubota in these tough times they have to do what they can to make money and keep their bottom line down.

O' By the way there you go crying again!!! [/b]

What about the guy who buys a $3k used Kubota and needs to look up a part number or trace down a problem? $300 for these books is quite expensive when you only pay $3k for a tractor. If you spend $50k for a tractor then I feel you should get the parts cd for free with your operators manual. You don't need to have print copies for each tractor but a parts cd is cheap.

 

[bp fick]

A few years back, e-books, Apple selling individual songs on iTunes (not forcing people to buy the entire album) online news, and all sorts of "strange" goings on were considered odd. Today? These things are completely accepted as the current wave. Another example? Amazon changed retailing forever.

Newspapers in print are daily disappearing. The old ways pass away and the new ways take over. Things change.

My gosh, I can even call up my owners manual and parts manual for my 5 year old Craftsman online. I recently exploded GE parts manual on .pdf online at GE.com, to find a part for my wife's stove. Free and available. It was listed under customers service. (there's a concept!!)

We purchase sheet music on line (download and print) for our church music ministry for $1. We don't buy complete books anymore. Well, I've gone on long enough.

BTW, I still like Orange. Today's date is February 10, 2010. Just a reminder.

 

[IdahoTractor]

Why should they give these away? Because it would keep them competitive with every other major brand out there who has been doing this on the corporate level for a few years now.

No argument from me. My point is that it's Kubota's decision to do what they do with their intellectual property, not ours. And if they choose not to allow free availability of their parts/maintenance books, then it doesn't give any of us the right to steal the information by infringing on their copyright/intellectual property.

By the way, it cost me $165 for my three Kubota manuals (service manual, parts manual, operators manual), which together are about 4 inches thick. I purchased them in 2007 from SSB Rentals (Kubota Tractor Manuals - SSB Tractor Service, Repair & Owners Operators Manual Shop).

 

[Robert_in_NY]

No argument from me. My point is that it's Kubota's decision to do what they do with their intellectual property, not ours. And if they choose not to allow free availability of their parts/maintenance books, then it doesn't give any of us the right to steal the information by infringing on their copyright/intellectual property.

By the way, it cost me $165 for my three Kubota manuals (service manual, parts manual, operators manual), which together are about 4 inches thick. I purchased them in 2007 from SSB Rentals (Kubota Tractor Manuals - SSB Tractor Service, Repair & Owners Operators Manual Shop).

I agree that its their right to charge what they want for what ever they want. I just think it isn't very smart on their part when their competitors give this information away for free.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

A few years back, e-books, Apple selling individual songs on iTunes (not forcing people to buy the entire album) online news, and all sorts of "strange" goings on were considered odd. Today? These things are completely accepted as the current wave. Another example? Amazon changed retailing forever.

Newspapers in print are daily disappearing. The old ways pass away and the new ways take over. Things change.

My gosh, I can even call up my owners manual and parts manual for my 5 year old Craftsman online. I recently exploded GE parts manual on .pdf online at GE.com, to find a part for my wife's stove. Free and available. It was listed under customers service. (there's a concept!!)

We purchase sheet music on line (download and print) for our church music ministry for $1. We don't buy complete books anymore. Well, I've gone on long enough.

BTW, I still like Orange. Today's date is February 10, 2010. Just a reminder.

The internet is amazing, I can find operators manuals for just about anything online now. There have been a few furnaces I have had to fix and needed a OM to know what the code was that was flashing to help find the problem. Go online with the brand and model and have the pdf saved to my laptop to take to the job and diagnose the problem. Same with house hold appliances and just about anything else you can think of.

 

[Coyote machine]

I own the other orange tractor, and as far a Kubota closing down Messick's use of copyrighted material it is their choice to do so; and it may be that this all precedes a change in the way Kubota does business. By this I mean they might be considering doing what Deere and some others are doing to capture what they consider a valuable part of their parts/ordering/sales system. I have no crystal ball but I would like to think even Kubota can see the writing on the wall about the net and what people expect, or at least hope for from it, and what customers of Kubota would like to see Kubota do for their/your benefit. Instead of getting all bent out of shape it might be wise at this time to put some collective customer pressure on Kubota to do what you as customers want them to do. Griping about what is clearly not your individual decision(s) accomplishes little. Complain if you chose to to someone who might be able to DO something about it- your Kubota dealer and Kubota corporate. I say put your mouth where your money is!
I wish you all luck, and while you're at it can you write or call South Korea and ask Kioti to do the same thing, please?!
Thanks!