Site rip-offs

[Chruser]

Normally I am both humbled and disgusted by attempts to steal/copy the work I have done. However, two recent thefts aggravate me greatly, mainly due to the fact that they have advertisements to make money off the hard work of mine and that of my co-designer/coder WetWired.

My site:
http://www.zelaron.com/forum

Their sites:
http://www.vbhackers.com/forum
http://board.xgnews.org/index.php?styleid=10


Now, the question is, can anything be done about vBulletin style thefts, or website ripoffs in general? I do not believe the owners of the two former sites mentioned above have gotten their hands directly on my vB style file, but rather do they seem to have stolen the image work and attempted to recode the rest from scratch with varying success.

[Boofo]

Normally I am both humbled and disgusted by attempts to steal/copy the work I have done. However, two recent thefts aggravate me greatly, mainly due to the fact that they have advertisements to make money off the hard work of mine and that of my co-designer/coder WetWired.

My site:
http://www.zelaron.com/forum

Their sites:
http://www.vbhackers.com/forum
http://board.xgnews.org/index.php?styleid=10


Now, the question is, can anything be done about vBulletin style thefts, or website ripoffs in general? I do not believe the owners of the two former sites mentioned above have gotten their hands directly on my vB style file, but rather do they seem to have stolen the image work and attempted to recode the rest from scratch with varying success.

Have you tried contacting them first? And then maybe contact their ISPs if you don't get any satifaction there. ;)

And nice style, by the way. ;)

[bigcurt]

Hmm, I am not sure about the XG whatever but vBHackers is Live-Wires..and I SERIOUSLY doubt that livewire would steal any skin, considering how good of a coder he already is..just my opinion..

~Curt

Also, LIVEWIRE is the one who MADE that "Forum Icon" hack that you have on your site so there is no way he "ripped it off" from you.

~Curt

[Revan]

Then again he wasn't talking about hacks.

I must say, the header image on vbhackers looks to me like a badly done rip-off.
If you compare the two, you can see that vbhackers' one clearly has marks of a "Z" being erased, the contour's (if that's the right word) is still clearly visible.

[deathemperor]

Hmm, I am not sure about the XG whatever but vBHackers is Live-Wires..and I SERIOUSLY doubt that livewire would steal any skin, considering how good of a coder he already is..just my opinion..


~Curt

Also, LIVEWIRE is the one who MADE that "Forum Icon" hack that you have on your site so there is no way he "ripped it off" from you.

~Curt
These does nothing for this, you say Bush won't kill any person because he is a very good President ?

and lol, as Revan said, look at the vbhacker banner and you will see a small 'bad-photoshoped' before 'vBhackers'

[Adrian Schneider]

Looks like a rip to me; however, (directed at deathemperor) not everyone agrees Bush is a very good president. :)

[hotrod1]

I would contact their web host and see if they would do anything about it.

vbhackers- http://www.valleyhosting.com/company_contact.htm
xgnews- unknown

[bigcurt]

I suggest contacting the owner and asking them to get rid of it 1st.


~Curt

And I agree with AJ also..not everyone agrees as "Bush" as a good president ;)..just a comment lol.

[freebase69]

Damn they look exactly like your site bro. I would have at least gave you props in the copyright.

On another note, nice style.

[deathemperor]

And I agree with AJ also..not everyone agrees as "Bush" as a good president ..just a comment lol.
it was just an if condition considering you regards Bush as a good president

[bigcurt]

if condition lol..damn man..thats when you know you code to much :P haha.

~Curt

[deathemperor]

if you somehow need me to show you a foreach loop, I'd be gladly to ^^

[freebase69]

Im game for any new tips or tricks hehe.

[Logikos]

Actually I didn't rip the style in question, it was downloaded publicly. I've been a member for the Zelaron communitty for quite some time, and the fact that no one has contacted me in the one years time I've had the style up is funny.

I've known Chris (chruser) for alittle over 2 1/2 years now. You could have contacted me personally asking to take the style down. I can to be very easy to work with; as many people here know how I am. :)

[Chruser]

Actually I didn't rip the style in question, it was downloaded publicly.

Oh, it was downloaded publicly now?

[04:52] Zelaron: Nice rip there.
[04:53] Zelaron: With Google ads and all.
[04:59] LiveWireeed: Thanks, It was nice at first, but it got old fast. It attracts the wrong audience and spirt to the community. I have plans on doing a redesign with the upcoming vBulletin release. I wasn't actually the one to rip it; someone else was. They where just kind enough to send me the zip.
[05:01] LiveWireeed: Well what do you know, I've been banned. lol
[05:02] LiveWireeed: You have to admit though, it was a nice rip.

I would very much want to know where you have downloaded it from "publicly" so I can get in touch with the source of the illegal redistribution. Or, given the second alternative you provided earlier, whom was "kind enough to send you the zip".

I've known Chris (chruser) for alittle over 2 1/2 years now. You could have contacted me personally asking to take the style down. I can to be very easy to work with; as many people here know how I am. :)

You would have been even easier to work with, had you notified me of the existence of your forum. Apparently, the now banned account on my forum (http://www.zelaron.com/forum) contained no link to your own forum either.

[Logikos]

Apparently, the now banned account on my forum (http://www.zelaron.com/forum) contained no link to your own forum either.

My account 'LiveWire' on your forum has never contained the link to my vBhackers site. The only sites that was ever linked in my profile was www.thenemesis.net, and www.computerproblems.org, and www.initialz.com.

You would have been even easier to work with, had you notified me of the existence of your forum.

There are other ways to speak to people when trying to come to a mature conclusion. Had you asked me politely to take the style down and if I may have downloaded the style somewhere, then we wouldn't be having the conversation.

Oh, it was downloaded publicly now?
Yes it was downloaded publicly. Maybe I should have rephrased what I said in my IM. The person was kind enough to send me the URL to the hosted .zip file.

I would very much want to know where you have downloaded it from "publicly" so I can get in touch with the source of the illegal redistribution. Or, given the second alternative you provided earlier, whom was "kind enough to send you the zip".

That will never happen now, maybe if your approach was different; we could have worked something out. It's not my problem that your style is hosted over several sites. I will take the style down if you wish, but don't expect me to help you find the hosted zips.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Now that contact has been made, this might be better handled further in private conversation.

Closing this one.