What do you consider a material change to a design, to make it unique enough that it's no longer a copy?

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Just a hypothetical question -
Do you think
(And everyone else too)
This would escape drama around here, historically or now,
If it were an Erika Winters or CVB design? Let’s say she didn’t want to customize one of her designs?

I would love for the answer to be that it’s seen as acceptable to take their design elsewhere and put it in a wider shank or an altered shoulder. That this is majority general consensus seen as fine and normal and acceptable. Because the original designer didn’t want to. But I just don’t think it would “fly” around here.
That a different bench’s ability in finishing or getting that level of delicacy wouldn’t be seen as another ‘change’ - it’d be seen as incompetence.

Maybe the current all over pool of active posters that would put forth this as being the general rule of thumb of etiquette has changed.? Or some of the most vocal about it have changed their past outlook and aren’t as staunch about it anymore?

Well, if you like a ring by Argentina Bob, except you want a 3 mm shank instead of 2.5, and Argentina Bob says no can do, then if another designer does it in 3 mm that means your new designer is not making an Argentina Bob ring under Argentina Bob’s own definition, right?