It's not a question of respect -- I do respect it in as much as I wouldn't copy someone else's work without permission.
I just really, honestly don't understand WHY it's such a big deal, and have never been able to get anyone to even engage in a conversation more complex than "just because".
I've been trying for years now to get someone to explain to me what injury, other than lost sale of copies, comes from recasting.
I can't see anything myself, and no-one has been able to tell me.
This conversation always gets so heated and emotional... It's always "if you're not with me then you're my enemy" and never just a conversation.
Pride? Recognition? Prestige? That's what I'm trying to understand. Not like anyone owes me an explanation, but I know that personally I'd be much more likely to be supportive of anti-recasting action if I felt like there was something behind it that I agreed with personally.
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TK:
I can understand the confusion, as it can be a somewhat subtle ethical question. Let me try to suggest an answer.
If one takes IP as the sole factor in the discussion, then yes, all would be in similar ethical water. But, it's not the sole factor, is it? It's a bit more complicated than that. As a member here at RPF, one can see the effort put into this hobby, the hours-upon-hours of research, sculpting, and all-out skill and sweat put toward producing original interpretations of pieces, made as accurate as possible. Things not possible without that effort. One only need look around this site to see the ART produced.
Recasters produce Craft. Items like the old paint-by-numbers kits, perhaps using skill to copy, but not to research. No effort.
Propmakers produce Art. Original interpretations of pieces (like ST armour) that were produced with skullsweat and skill, and not a little artistry.
Other Art pieces are judged by materials, artistic technique, interpretation, skill, format, etc. Prop aficionados use those criteria, and also Accuracy. It's an interpretation of another piece of art. Andy Worhol used a Campbell's Soup can in one of his famous art prints. If someone were to have copied that print and sold it for 20% lower than the original print sold for, I'd think he would have been justified in being upset, IP issues or not.
(Another way to look at it: there are literally tens of thousands, if not more, works of fan fiction in existence, in print, on websites, etc. Would it be acceptable for someone to copy the plot, original characters, or actual text because "it's based one someone else's Intellectual Property, and so not copywrited"? If not, what is different about the prop issue versus the fanfic issue?)
There is an effort issue here. There is also a pride issue: Propmakers putting in countless hours away from family and friends to pursue a hobby they love, who want and deserve the pats on the back for their work. Work not done by others.
AS to the money issue: of course propmakers want to be compensated for their time and effort. They work hard and take time from other important things to produce the most beautiful and accurate pieces possible, and some would not be able to do so without some compensation of lost income.
The recasters take some of this compensation, and the recognition of good work, away. This might drive some of the great propmakers away from this hobby, and that loss, the loss of their skill and insight, hurts us all.
I hope this goes some way toward answering your questions. I would be happy to continue this civil discussion, TK. If you have any other thoughts, feel free to PM. Thank you for asking your question reasonably, and avoiding rhetoric. I think everyone here appreciates a rational discussion, myself included.
Tahlen
