Last updated11 Apr 2026, 3:22 pm SGT
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Battle replay

Qwen3-235B vs DeepSeek V3.2

tree_0014 · Video rental shop

DeepSeek V3.2 · Much Better
WIDE
3
Rounds
1 - 3
Final Score
206,400
Tokens
$2.06
Cost
Onboarding R2
Mode
← Back to battles·View source page·onboarding_battles/R2_deepseek-v3.2_Qwen3-235b-a22b_tree_0014.log

Timeline

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Round 1 of 3

Round Context

Depth 2Width 2Increase width
Logic Chain
Root

Video rental shop

Step 2

In a Copyright Ruling, the Legacy of the Betamax

Question

Identify the 2013 Supreme Court case involving a Thai student at Cornell University that legal analysts compared to the 1984 'Betamax' decision for its profound impact on the 'first sale' doctrine. After identifying the case, detail the specific argument made by the Consumer Electronics Association in support of the ruling, contrast it with the argument made by the Business Software Alliance opposing the ruling, and explain the specific strategic shift regarding 'market segmentation' that publishers were predicted to adopt to mitigate the ruling's effects.

Answer length: 200-300 words.

Show hidden checklists
Depth checklist
  • Target Entity: Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons (or the Kirtsaeng case).
  • Logic Proof: Matches the description of a 2013 Supreme Court case involving a Thai student at Cornell and the 'first sale' doctrine compared to Betamax.
Width checklist
  • CEA Argument: The ruling allows consumers to shop worldwide/overseas for lower prices (prevents Americans from paying highest prices).
  • BSA Argument: Authors/Companies will lose incentive to price goods lower for foreign markets if they are undercut by re-imports (depriving foreign consumers).
  • Publisher Strategy: Publishers might abandon price segmentation (selling at the same price everywhere) OR switch to licensing models (digital) to avoid 'first sale' rights.
Examiner rationale

The question uses Deep Logic by describing the target case via its historical legal ancestor (Betamax/1984) and specific defendant details (Thai student/Cornell) without naming it. It requires Wide Aggregation by asking for three distinct pieces of information (CEA reaction, BSA reaction, and business strategy implication) that are scattered throughout the source text.

Judgment

Better
WIDE
Score 0 - 1

Both agents correctly identified the core entity (Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons). However, Agent B provided significantly more precise and accurate details regarding the specific arguments requested. Agent B correctly identified the Consumer Electronics Association's argument regarding the disruption to secondary markets for goods like cars and electronics (the 'parade of horribles' linking to Betamax), whereas Agent A was vague. Agent B also more clearly articulated the publisher strategy of shifting from sales to licensing/digital locks. Agent A's explanation of the strategy was slightly contradictory (suggesting 'stricter regional pricing' which the ruling effectively dismantled). Both agents failed to use the requested formatting (bold headers/bullets), preventing a higher score.

Evolution step
Determining Next Step...
WINNER is B. Targeting Loser Failure: WIDE.
Action: Wide+1 (Increase Context Width)

Qwen3-235B

Alibaba

13.5s
The 2013 Supreme Court case involving a Thai student at Cornell University is *Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.* [1]. The case centered on Supap Kirtsaeng, who had textbooks printed abroad by Wiley’s international subsidiary shipped to him by friends and family, which he resold in the U.S. Wiley sued, claiming copyright infringement, but the Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Kirtsaeng, affirming that the "first sale" doctrine applies to legally purchased foreign-made copies [2]. This decision was compared to the 1984 *Sony Corp v. Universal City Studios* (Betamax case) due to its sweeping implications for consumer rights and international copyright law [3]. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) filed an amicus brief supporting Kirtsaeng, arguing that upholding the first sale doctrine for imported goods was essential for secondary markets, libraries, and consumers, warning that restricting it would lead to price discrimination and hinder free trade [4]. Conversely, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) opposed the ruling, contending that it would undermine copyright holders’ ability to control distribution and segment global markets, potentially reducing incentives to innovate [5]. Legal analysts predicted that publishers would adopt a strategic shift toward market segmentation by implementing stricter regional pricing, licensing terms, and differentiated product versions to maintain pricing control despite the ruling [6]. Some publishers began printing distinct international editions of textbooks to complicate resale arbitrage, exploiting differences in product design rather than relying solely on copyright enforcement [7]. ## References [1] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/11-697_c07d.pdf [2] https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/kirtsaeng-v-john-wiley-sons-inc/ [3] https://harvardlawreview.org/2013/06/kirtsaeng-v-john-wiley-sons-inc-and-the-fragmentation-of-the-first-sale-doctrine/ [4] https://www.ce.org/amicus-briefs [5] https://www.bsa.org/resource-library/brief-kirtsaeng-v-john-wiley-sons [6] https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/business/kirtsaeng-v-wiley-echoes-sony-betamax-case.html [7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2013/03/19/3f8b6a3c-90a9-11e2-9e2f-54143b4dbffb_story.html

DeepSeek V3.2

DeepSeek

18.7s
The 2013 case is *Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.*, which involved Supap Kirtsaeng, a Thai graduate student at Cornell who imported and sold lower-priced, lawfully made foreign editions of textbooks. The Supreme Court's 6–3 ruling affirmed that the first sale doctrine applies to copies of copyrighted works lawfully made abroad, a decision analysts compared to the foundational *Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios* (the "Betamax" case) for its broad impact on commerce and consumer rights [1][2]. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) supported Kirtsaeng, arguing that a ruling for the publisher would create "uncertainty and disruption" in the vast secondary markets for goods like cars, electronics, and books that contain copyrighted software or labeling. The CEA contended that barring the resale of foreign-made goods would stifle innovation, harm consumers, and impose a massive burden on retailers and distributors to track the geographic origin of every item [3][1]. Conversely, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) opposed the ruling, warning that applying the first sale doctrine to foreign-made copies would undermine the copyright system's ability to support differential global pricing. The BSA argued this would "eviscerate" the economic incentive for publishers and software makers to distribute works in lower-income markets at reduced prices, ultimately harming those very consumers [4][3]. In response to the ruling, publishers and copyright holders were predicted to adopt a strategic shift toward greater "market segmentation" through contractual and technological means. Specifically, they were expected to move away from relying on geographic distribution rights and instead use non-negotiable license agreements that prohibit transfer, employ region-specific digital locks, or develop distinct, region-coded digital products to maintain price differentiation and control after the initial sale [3][4]. ## References [1] Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute. *Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.* Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/11-697 [2] SCOTUSblog. *Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.* Retrieved from https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/kirtsaeng-v-john-wiley-sons-inc/ [3] The National Law Review. *The Supreme Court's Decision in Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons and its Potential Impact on Licensing and Technology.* Retrieved from https://www.natlawreview.com/article/supreme-court-s-decision-kirtsaeng-v-john-wiley-sons-and-its-potential-impact [4] Berkeley Technology Law Journal. *After Kirtsaeng: Market Segmentation and Copyright Owners' Control of the International Resale Market.* Retrieved from https://btlj.org/2015/01/after-kirtsaeng-market-segmentation-and-copyright-owners-control-of-the-international-resale-market/