Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
Forums _ Designers' Café _ Designer Thieves
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 13 2009, 11:37 PM
was wondering lately i've seen designs that look very similiar to other designs so i was wondering, what is the best thing to do when you catch someone stealing your material/ideas/codes/designs or structures for their own uses or sites?
what if they are using your stuff but credit you?
what if they are using your stuff and alter the credits?
what if they are using your stuff and remove the credits?
**normally i email them or comment on the site and tell them to take it off or i'll talk to their hosting services xD that's the best i got, and if their ashamed of what they did, they put the credits up or completely change everything before next sunrise. some are rude enough to slander & object the claim when clearly the material is stolen.
Posted by: jcp Jul 13 2009, 11:40 PM
If they are stealing you exact design, or your code and you have actual proof and its something that actually took time then yes you can email them and ask them to remove and about 50 percent of people will comply.
But in my opinion there is no such thing as stealing code. A code is a code.
Posted by: IWontRapeYou Jul 13 2009, 11:40 PM
I spam them with gay porn
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 14 2009, 06:36 AM
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 14 2009, 09:34 AM
that's not very nice.
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 14 2009, 10:24 AM
BEST ADVISE SO FAR!!!
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 14 2009, 10:45 AM
I just don't care.
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 14 2009, 11:21 AM
'course ya dont
Posted by: IWontRapeYou Jul 14 2009, 11:55 AM
Only if your in there with him. 
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 14 2009, 12:59 PM
harhar
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 14 2009, 01:10 PM
xDDDDD LOL THATS THE FUNNISH SH!T EVA 
Posted by: mipadi Jul 14 2009, 02:48 PM
Yeah, I'm going to move this elsewhere.
Posted by: schizo Jul 14 2009, 03:04 PM
My stuff has been stolen so many times that I don't even care anymore. I actually got a few of those nasty myspace layout sites that are made up of all stolen content shut down for a bit, but it's really not worth the time. The sites that steal from me usually don't even have ways to contact them besides Myspace. Cowards.
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 14 2009, 09:46 PM
my fame and reputation xD
Posted by: karmakiller Jul 15 2009, 12:28 AM
^ As strange as your post is, I can understand. There have been plenty of times that a person will claim credit for something they didn't design, and when the designer steps in and tries to get them to stop it gets ugly. The person who took the design can fight and claim it's theirs and the real designer could lose credibility.
Posted by: Beenly Jul 15 2009, 06:36 AM
If an art piece from a museum can be stolen, a digital artwork can be stolen too.
I wouldn't mind though, if someone took my design, and improved it to make it look much better. But crediting would still be required. o_O
Posted by: doughnut Jul 15 2009, 07:00 AM
well, i once saw one of my vectors used in some cell phone theme (lol) on deviantart without any credits to me at all. nothing in the description actually. and so i sent a report to dA.
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 15 2009, 08:24 AM
If you post your work on a site where it's free to take then you need to accept the fact that people are going to steal your work and there's nothing you can legally do about it.
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 15 2009, 12:15 PM
I wouldn't mind though, if someone took my design, and improved it to make it look much better. But crediting would still be required. o_O
thats what i'm saying too, BUT WHAT IF THEY DON'T CREDIT YOU AT ALL, not even for the idea, base, template, texture, inspiration, etc. what do you do THEN?
Posted by: serotonin Jul 15 2009, 12:17 PM
i'll make a big fuss and make sure that other people are a miserable as me because i'm upset :( :( :(
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 15 2009, 12:52 PM
Steven makes a great point.
You're acting like babies. If people don't credit it you at all then it's your own damn fault. You need to force people to credit you by using water marks or by placing comments in the code.
Posted by: jcp Jul 15 2009, 01:23 PM
haha, watermarks...
Im sorry, but do you know how many things I have used after taking off the credit. It isnt illegal! Even if it is rude, it isnt illegal. Taking content off of a website, maybe but removing the credit from a myspce layout? psh... But I havent ever redistributed content or claimed it as my own.
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 15 2009, 01:56 PM
Plus, if they're smart enough, they can just change the image and/or the coding too...
Posted by: serotonin Jul 15 2009, 01:58 PM
Or you can do a better job with the watermark or signature and make it look butchered without it there.
Posted by: IWontRapeYou Jul 15 2009, 02:13 PM
Im sorry, but do you know how many things I have used after taking off the credit. It isnt illegal! Even if it is rude, it isnt illegal. Taking content off of a website, maybe but removing the credit from a myspce layout? psh... But I havent ever redistributed content or claimed it as my own.
Or you could acquire some talent.
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 15 2009, 02:14 PM
DISS
seriously though. I always leave credits on my site for any resources I used, you should too.
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 15 2009, 03:25 PM
If they're smart enough and understand the code to begin with. Why should they need to rewrite it all. Especially if they'd probably just write it exactly the same way. It makes no sense.
seriously though. I always leave credits on my site for any resources I used, you should too.
It's a nice thing to do, but it doesn't matter. If you're going to write some code, and you already understand the language and what you want to do. Don't reinvent the wheel. I understand your frustration, but you're bitching over something that you have no control over and that just makes you look like a bitch. Grab your balls, be a man, and say, "Oh my God."
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 15 2009, 03:47 PM
I never said I was frustrated and I don't think I'm bitching at all. >_>
Posted by: IWontRapeYou Jul 15 2009, 03:54 PM
I don't think he is talking about you, just people in general.
As far as codes go I agree with you since we didn't "invent" the code.
Posted by: Mikeplyts Jul 15 2009, 04:14 PM
oh, LOL. sorry Josh.
Who did "invent" the codes?
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 15 2009, 09:36 PM
..uhh you gots are getting off topic..
the only person i agree with so far is Mikeplyts
Posted by: fixtatik Jul 15 2009, 11:19 PM
Im sorry, but do you know how many things I have used after taking off the credit. It isnt illegal! Even if it is rude, it isnt illegal. Taking content off of a website, maybe but removing the credit from a myspce layout? psh... But I havent ever redistributed content or claimed it as my own.
Whooa...where did you get the idea that stealing copyrighted content is legal? Under United States law, as soon as an author puts a copyright notice on a work, that work and the copyright are property of the author for life, plus 70 years after death.
Maybe you should read up on US copyright laws before you go around hocking any more work: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/
You don't have to register with the copyright office for something to be copyrighted. That's only something you if you want to be able to sue someone for stealing your work. Stealing is illegal in the United States.
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 16 2009, 12:36 AM
bo-ya!! you're awesome fixatik! i read that somewhere but i don't remember if it was 70 years or 40 years..xD oh well 70 sounds better. so all my designs i copyrighted are mine so i can go around kicking some ballz yay!
Posted by: tcunningham Jul 16 2009, 03:03 AM
Maybe you should read up on US copyright laws before you go around hocking any more work: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/
You don't have to register with the copyright office for something to be copyrighted. That's only something you if you want to be able to sue someone for stealing your work. Stealing is illegal in the United States.
The author doesn't have to even put copyright on their work. As of April 1, 1989, it just is.
Posted by: SwaggLookinGood Jul 16 2009, 04:30 AM
so what if you look at a layout
and you got a idea for another layout
same style just not the same brushes/codes/font?
Posted by: tcunningham Jul 16 2009, 04:55 AM
and you got a idea for another layout
same style just not the same brushes/codes/font?
That really has to be looked at in a case-by-case basis. Not just in general. Your inspiration can come from another website. It could even use the same fonts. However, the placement, images, etc. Should not be reproduced in your design. You can look at, for example, a site that uses abstract colored waves, and be inspired by that to create your own site that has an abstract colored wave background, but it should be created solely by you. And the website, should be completely different. Don't try to match point-to-point their entire design.
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 16 2009, 08:47 AM
Yeah, but this is small time stuff. Do you really mean to tell me that you've never copied and pasted potions of someone's code into your own designs. Give me a break. It's part of the learning process.
Who did "invent" the codes?
Yes, I am talking about people in general.
Posted by: tcunningham Jul 16 2009, 08:59 AM
Yes, I am talking about people in general.
Yes. After learning a bit on my own from resource sites; then helping dozens of people with their codes is how I learned. But I hardly see why you quoted my post when I was only pointing out a technicality.
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 16 2009, 12:54 PM
I don't know why I quoted you. I my brain got mixed up.
Posted by: fixtatik Jul 17 2009, 10:23 AM
There's nothing wrong with using snippets of code. For example, if you see some JavaScript effect on a site and you don't know how to do it, use it from their site. If they don't specifically say that you need to do something in return, it doesn't entirely matter, because that code could have come from anywhere. Granted, there are limitations.
As for what exactly constitutes as "stealing" a website, it depends. I like Tim Van Damme's example, with his http://timvandamme.com/wall-of-fame vs. his http://timvandamme.com/wall-of-shame. Wall of Famers used his ideas as inspiration, and in most cases offered him a link back to his site as a source of inspiration. Wall of Shamers blatantly copied his work, pixel for pixel.
Personally, I believe if you see a site that you think looks good, and want to base your own site on that, go for it. Just make it entirely different and if you do use some ideas from your inspiration, give a link back. It's only courteous.
I think it's actually March 1st, 1989, when the US joined the Berne Convention. True, it's not required, but you stand nearly no chance in a court of law if you don't include a copyright notice.
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap4.html#401
Unless you actually registered with the copyright office, there's not much you can do except ask your work to be taken down, or use some kind of "wall of shame" or similar action. Works not registered won't hold up in court.
Posted by: Uronacid Jul 17 2009, 10:49 AM
As for what exactly constitutes as "stealing" a website, it depends. I like Tim Van Damme's example, with his http://timvandamme.com/wall-of-fame vs. his http://timvandamme.com/wall-of-shame. Wall of Famers used his ideas as inspiration, and in most cases offered him a link back to his site as a source of inspiration. Wall of Shamers blatantly copied his work, pixel for pixel.
Again, you really can't do anything about it aside from obtaining copyrights, commenting your code, and watermarking your work. You have no control over other people. I don't know why people sweat so much over someone taking their code when they've plastered it all over the internet without any protection.
I'm a graphic designer and coder as well. You as well as I know that static content doesn't mean shit these days anyway, and if you're bitching about it then you're crying over spilt milk. Dynamic code is rarely hacked and stolen.
Posted by: fixtatik Jul 17 2009, 03:40 PM
^ Exactly. Without protection, you're screwed. Just because something is copyrighted doesn't mean people are going to respect it.
I'm not fond of dynamic code, though. While it's "safer" in regards to keeping it out of the hands of developer wannabes, it's terrible for people who are looking for organic growth. Session variables aren't archived in search engines, not everyone has JavaScript enabled, and if you use it exclusively, it can lead to server overload.
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 17 2009, 04:42 PM
-silence-
Posted by: elletricity Jul 17 2009, 07:06 PM
To the original question, most of the time, I don't bother trying to get them to take it down. It's too much hassle and emotional energy for me, and at any rate, there will always be another jocker, no matter how many you take down. There was this one site I visited that didn't even bother to take of the credit and still claimed it as their own. d:
Posted by: AutumnSunsets Jul 17 2009, 07:57 PM
i know it requires emotional energy but sometimes i just get so angry, the numbers are unlimited but i still try to get ppl to credit, no matter whose material they are using, it doesn't have to be mine, i've found some sites use my affiliates material without credited, and i mail them letting them know to always credit.
the only way to lose the stealers to to shut down the site, because
even if you only offer previews of the real design, people get the idea
and use it.
Posted by: goofipinay Jul 17 2009, 11:25 PM
I use stuff, but I leave the credits
it's all in the time
don't have time to make my own
don't have time to get bitched at for taking it off
meh, whatev.
Posted by: Zerobang Aug 6 2009, 08:14 PM
Stealing Images is one thing but stealing a code? Unless you typed from the first letter to the last, well yeah i can understand that.
Posted by: JupiterShow Aug 17 2009, 07:23 PM
As far as codes go I agree with you since we didn't "invent" the code.
That's like saying it's okay to steal a piece of writing off someone since they didn't invent the English language. It doesn't matter if we "invented" code we still manipulated tags to do what we want and we own that.
I hope that made sense I'm sleepy.
As for what to do when you find someone stealing your work, I'd just ask them to take it down and if they say no and they're not making money out of it I wouldn't take it further since it's a waste of time. If you're worried about people thinking your stealing work you could add a disclaimer to the designs in question, saying that you're aware it's been stolen and hopefully people will believe you :)
Posted by: innerdemon25 Aug 21 2009, 09:48 AM
As far as codes go I agree with you since we didn't "invent" the code.
Lol, I totally agree with you on that part, because I mean yeah sure it can be upsetting but you cant really do anything. Ive received many messages before about me "stealing codes" because codes can be some what similar. They literally said to me that they were going to take legal actions against me if I continue to use their copyrighted code. Which makes no sense there is no copy righting code. Thats like saying im going to copyright the breaker code and no one can use it unless they pay me for it. which dumb people like that really get on my nerves. Designs however can be copyrighted, its a piece of art that you created unlike code, which is premade.
-Brandon Lagenour
-Revolutions Designs
Posted by: outloudinmyhead Sep 17 2009, 11:24 PM
I have a question. I'm still really new at all of this design stuff and learning to code from scratch. Prior to this, I came on here and basically just added snippets from the createblog donated content and basically browsed by firebug for a certain effect I liked and copied, pasted, and then editted it up to my liking and to better fit my purpose using the stuff I DO know and further have learned to identify things on MySpace and how to manipulate more or less in CSS to hide only specific headers and that various bunch of stuff. (Never stolen someones full on code because I do think it's wrong to take away from a layout setup or website setup by completely duplicating it for yourself and only shows your own lack of creativity, and further ends you in being called out if you rip a code. I let codes inspire me.
But, ok, like I said, I'm a beginner in designer in the bigger picture. Can't use flash, jquery or any off that awesome jazz and any javascript I use is via donations on a site when browsing google for an effect I'd like to incorporate, only to end up deleting portions because I don't understand enough about it to force them to cooperate together.
Well, that being said and establishing that I am still new to all of this, I am wondering something.
A lot of my work is done with other people's brushes, and a majority of them don't contain an image in the set or any way to identify who made the set.
I find them via browsing deviant art, various forums who post image packs of nice brushes that I define as a brush, brusheezy and etc. I'm a resource hog and have loads upon loads of brushes and styles and etc that I've found 'round and about. On DeviantArt, I think many expect you to just "remember" where you got the set...and honestly, I don't generally use something until creativity sparks and I go through my resources and by then I DON'T remember who made it or where I even got it for that matter. What should one do in a case such as this?
Furthermore, sometimes when you directly DO link your resources from where you got something and someone who likes the design you did, often goes and gets the set and it further enables them to exactly duplicate your work and offer it elsewhere. And before you know it, the entire community has designated the effect a trend...and it's everywhere. As flattering as it can be, it's maddening.(Something done far too often in design communities)
So...how should creditting be handled in the case of brushes and designer beginners like myself?
And no I don't plan to forever depend on brushes to do things, but I'm simply a graphics maker, not a big time designer. When I find my footing, I do hope to do my own designs from complete scratch.
Posted by: jcp Sep 17 2009, 11:29 PM
But, ok, like I said, I'm a beginner in designer in the bigger picture. Can't use flash, jquery or any off that awesome jazz and any javascript I use is via donations on a site when browsing google for an effect I'd like to incorporate, only to end up deleting portions because I don't understand enough about it to force them to cooperate together.
Well, that being said and establishing that I am still new to all of this, I am wondering something.
A lot of my work is done with other people's brushes, and a majority of them don't contain an image in the set or any way to identify who made the set.
I find them via browsing deviant art, various forums who post image packs of nice brushes that I define as a brush, brusheezy and etc. I'm a resource hog and have loads upon loads of brushes and styles and etc that I've found 'round and about. On DeviantArt, I think many expect you to just "remember" where you got the set...and honestly, I don't generally use something until creativity sparks and I go through my resources and by then I DON'T remember who made it or where I even got it for that matter. What should one do in a case such as this?
Furthermore, sometimes when you directly DO link your resources from where you got something and someone who likes the design you did, often goes and gets the set and it further enables them to exactly duplicate your work and offer it elsewhere. And before you know it, the entire community has designated the effect a trend...and it's everywhere. As flattering as it can be, it's maddening.(Something done far too often in design communities)
So...how should creditting be handled in the case of brushes and designer beginners like myself?
And no I don't plan to forever depend on brushes to do things, but I'm simply a graphics maker, not a big time designer. When I find my footing, I do hope to do my own designs from complete scratch.
t;dr
So...how should creditting be handled in the case of brushes and designer beginners like myself?
Just dont take a resouce unless it is copyright free or free for commercial use.
Posted by: RussianRoulette Nov 15 2009, 09:50 PM
like someone stated code is a code
its not like they sat there and made a code
by pressing random key's code's are available every where
and there is only one or two way to use a code and im sure
billions of people have the same coding but now designing
is a different story if they copy everything layout wise
colors style then rent about it but codes?
Posted by: miguelS Dec 3 2009, 12:18 AM
Designing thieves on createblog? You don't say.. 
This, a million times.
Oh the enormous lists I could make of people that take my stuff. Overlays, defaults, even my About Me's word for word, you name it.
In the end, code is code.
Posted by: 1angel3 Jan 21 2010, 07:42 PM
^ Ha ha
I use to care a lot but when someone takes my work and if it's my actual work meaning that they didn't make any changes but take the credits off then I will contact them and ask them politely to put it back but if they don't reply then I just forget about it. I don't care that much anymore especially about my layouts and coding. Being credited is nice and I will make an attempt to get it but I won't make it a huge deal like I use to. BUT if someone makes money off my work then it's war time.
Posted by: Beenly Jan 21 2010, 08:25 PM
There should be like a really cool self-defense image system.
If someone tries to steal your work, they get zapped by their keyboard or something, haha.
Posted by: 1angel3 Jan 25 2010, 01:13 AM
If someone tries to steal your work, they get zapped by their keyboard or something, haha.
Wtf?
Posted by: readysetmove Apr 13 2010, 03:30 PM
There is no way to get people to not steal layouts. For images you can watermark it, I know it sort of takes away from the image but at least it will be safe, unless the person stealing it has mad Photoshop skills, but then why would they need to steal it in the first place? As for code, I agree and disagree with some of the replies on here. I seriously doubt anyone on this site is one of the inventors of code. Obviously people had to make codes based off of already existing codes. I object, however, to people outright copying a style-sheet without that persons permission, because that person took time to make that style-sheet, it's the same as taking an image. The only way I can see moderately protecting your code is to disable right clicking, but I heard there are even ways around that.
Posted by: Butterface89 Sep 25 2010, 03:21 PM
the only way to lose the stealers to to shut down the site, because
even if you only offer previews of the real design, people get the idea
and use it.
Hi! I wonder when people are to place "credits" and on "what", because all of these icons and avatars I see here have no credits to speak of under them (who made the brushes, copied images, ect.). It's still using other artist's materials to help create something.
I don't see the difference between that and layouts. Also, no offense but how many images have people "stolen"/lifted to help create their own layouts on here (layouts,icons, whatever). You know? Now suddenly "Stealing" sounds like a harsh word:D
Posted by: gelionie Sep 25 2010, 03:31 PM
If they clearly know the creator of the icon/graphic, then they should acknowledge the creator's effort by giving credit. Just because some people don't give credit and "borrow" others' work doesn't mean you should do the same. Just a matter of courtesy.
Posted by: venti-anemoi Sep 29 2010, 01:08 AM
Something I do is make a new brush set with all the brushes I've downloaded from one place and name the brush file the name of the site where I got it. That way it's easy to identify where you got it from, and you can just google the name to find the link to the site for links back. As for images that you yourself have made into brushes, I'd suggest doing something similar. Stuff you find floating around dA or elsewhere without credits.... well, you can't really do anything about that except hope the creator doesn't see and chew your ass off for it. (But you can always explain and credit them when that happens.)
I don't see the difference between that and layouts. Also, no offense but how many images have people "stolen"/lifted to help create their own layouts on here (layouts,icons, whatever). You know? Now suddenly "Stealing" sounds like a harsh word:D
That's a good point. I think the general consensus is that avatars/icons and banners are just too friggin' small to put credits on them. Some sites that have loads of avatars made by one person (not like cB where people submit their work) have a credits page where they list all the places where they get their resources. In general, though, people aren't really going to care if their stock photo or brush was used in an icon without credit.
Posted by: emarielayouts Nov 4 2010, 12:47 PM
I feel coding is something that should be shared. I've come across designers who have refused to share coding on how to do something, especially on myspace where there so much you need to consider.
As far as designs, it's a very gray area. If the design is copied EXACTLY then you do have a problem. If the person is not making a profit on it, I don't see much harm, just ask them to remove it or credit you properly. I offered a lot of free layouts, some of which the ideas came from other layouts. Concepts can be 'copied' I guess but you must change it. Do you know how many iPod myspace layouts there were? I even did one myself and they all pretty much looked alike using the iPod in the center with the while background.
But when designing, if you got the idea from someone else, you should credit it somewhere. It doesn't have to be on the layout itself, but it does need to be somewhere. I got an idea for a layout from another layout I saw on CB, and even submitted that to CB on my old profile emarie2470 and I did credit it in a link on the layout and I think on the description as well. Although the design was not exact, I did get the concept from someone else.
Posted by: SkyeDesign Aug 4 2011, 03:49 AM
I've had people do this to me. I've made some graphic designs people take and use with out credit even if it has a watermark. Like this one site that is dedicated for wallpapers. They had one of mine up and they didn't even have a credit as to where they found it. They said they found it via google. All i did was email them and simply say. Hey this is my wallpaper can you please add my credits. And they did just that
Posted by: boot Aug 4 2011, 02:57 PM
watermarks are ugly so I'll remove them if possible, I'll usually leave credit either in the legal information in the footer if it's a web template, otherwise it's probably for personal use anyway (ie wallpaper) so it doesn't matter in my eyes