Question - Linking Other's People's Sites

[Former Member]

That it does JJ.

[aRMY83]

Jul 5, 2013 17:47:45 GMT -8 @christine1966 said:

I myself am offended when someone post a link to my site without my permission looking for a code that I have.

I feel the same as you Christine and this has happened to me several times and what's sad about it, is all they had to do is ask me on my site for the code or the location to where I got it from.

[Alanna 🥀🖤]

I could also "view source" on your friend's site, ♥ ℒʊ√ ♥.

@christine1966, I also never steal, I ask on support and take screen shots of my own site and edit it using paint or whatnot to give the staff on support a clear image of what I want without linking or taking a screen shot of another's site. I am only guilty of "stealing" once and that was when I first started coding and was not aware of it. I saw a site, liked a code on it, asked the admin of the site if I could use it and then proceeded to do so looking at their "view source." After the matter they accused me of stealing because I looked at their view source and didn't ask them to give it to them over email, etc.

I still feel horrible about that incident. 

[Former Member]

That is good Trinity and we all learn.

Good Point, aRMY.

[CheatAreZee]

Just wanted to note that whenever I provide support for someone that provides an example of something they want to do, I only provide them with a link to a specific code in the code database if the code they're wanting to use is public. If a code looks custom, and cannot be found anywhere else, I instruct that they should ask the admin of the example forum for permissions / instructions

[David Clark]

Hey guys, just popping in here to add my two cents -

We take very seriously the hard work that forum admins put in to make their forum special. It is true that often we find threads that simply link to another forum and ask for help with how to get a certain feature or look. I'd like to put some fears to rest (particular JJ's) when I say that we Support admins do not facilitate the copying of people's styles and will certainly not help users to copy codes and forum assets that would otherwise only be available to the main admin. If someone simply provides a link to a forum and says "Tell me how to do it just like that." - they are not met with fruitful answers. Generally speaking, we point people in the right direction as opposed to doing things for them. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime!

Thankfully, v5 is structured in such a way that your work is a little more guarded. Yes you can access the source code of any page on any forum, yes there may be data on the page that could be copied and used elsewhere, but the same is true of any webpage. Due to web standards today, this is the way it is, and there's really no way to get around it. As I was saying, though, with the addition of v5 and the Theme/Layout Template/Plugin system, it's certainly not an easy feat to copy the style or functionality of forums.

For more information on how to proceed when someone's copied your forum in its entirety, read over the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and its corresponding Wikipedia page for some useful info.

[JJ]

Thank you for your response, Ricky.

I agree, David, V5 has definitely changed a lot, and preserving the sanctity of one's creations has been enhanced greatly.

[Former Member]

Thank you Ricky and David. There is one thing I would like to ask, is it feasible when someone does post a link to someone's board that it is not only removed but the person that did this be warned not to? I know it happened to me when someone linked to my site asking for 2 of my codes. It doesn't take a genius in my opinion to say, I am looking to accomplish this and that, could someone please help me and it doesn't take placing a link to someone's forum in which they found what they want.



Thanks

Chrissy 

[David Clark]

Sometimes the best way for users to convey what they're looking to do, even in cases where the user wants to do something cool and unique and is just looking for a place to start, is to show where you've seen it before. In that regard, I don't think there is any harm in posting a link to someone's forum.

However, if there are any future cases in which your forum's URL is shown in a post and you're uncomfortable with how it's being used, simply let one of us Support admins know and we'll edit your forum's URL out of the post.

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

As far as my friend's site, I think the point was lost. You can see the source of a page without any customization. You can't get into her site and see any of her board and what it looks like.

Of course, you can see the source of the "Guests must log in page".

And as someone who creates and designs, I understand copyright and yes, I put it on my creations. It's not difficult. Embedding digimarc watermarks is easily done in most editing software. And putting copyright on every frame or one frame of an animation is also easily done.  Creative authors must protect themselves. The Blinkee in my signature has an owner's comment embedded in it.

But what I was saying is that most codes are public domain unless you have personally created them ~ and that I believe ProBoards' understands that fine line. And from what two admins have posted here, they absolutely do.

I understand how upset anyone would be having personal work "stolen" because that's exactly what it is, stolen.

But as far as codes, there is a line that can be murky. And it's good to see that ProBoards does recognize that.

[Former Member]

Luv but when you close your site like that, doesn't it turn people away? I know it does me. I would like to see the content of the site before joining.
I see where you are going with this but then again, it still isn't right. Even if our codes/designs are on Proboards or other sites to me they should go look for them. Think of this and everyone that has replied thank you for your inputs and I know JJ, like me feels the same.
How would you like it if you spent as JJ and I have years looking for codes, Some were as she said old ones that were created by someone that was a coder and now with V5 we are having to find replacement to those codes or ask for help with new updated ones. Then to have someone come along and want every code/and/or Template Design you have instead of going to try to find them themselves.
To me still it is rude and not very polite to come here and post wanting 2,3,4 or more of a person's codes.

David that would be nice but then you guys can't monitor and neither can we every single post here on support. I did notice my one code that JJ had gotten for me hasn't been given to the person for the Affiliates. This was an old code that was remade for us.
David I will be happy to pm you the link asking for my site to be removed.

[David Clark]

Jul 6, 2013 10:14:25 GMT -8 @christine1966 said:

but then you guys can't monitor and neither can we every single post here on support.

Actually, we check every single thread posted on this board. If we didn't, not everyone would receive customer support! I went ahead and edited out your forum's URL from the thread you PMed me.

[Former Member]

Oh okay. Gosh I didn't think you guys could keep up with all of us. LOL!!!
Thank you so much, David.

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

@christine1966, please don't get me wrong. As I said, of course it is wrong to steal personal, creative, copyright material. No way should it be done ~ or tolerated.

But as far as codes created by someone else and searched out tirelessly, the search doesn't equate to ownership.

I absolutely, positively don't think anyone has the right to copy anyone else's forum. Period.

But individual codes that one hasn't created, I find it very difficult to consider "my own" because it is doing exactly what this thread is all about.

Taking someone else's work and using it through their gracious generosity to share that code with ProBoards (and ProBoards with us) and then becoming possessive about it doesn't feel right to me. I'm very uncomfortable with that.

It's like the volunteer coders here. They make a plug in for us. And then we ask, can you do this, change this, add this? And they kindly do. That still doesn't make that code "mine" because I've asked them to modify it to my needs. And it doesn't mean that modification can only belong to me and everyone else must use the original code. The author updates the version and makes it available to everyone.

I've found many codes here on support just by reading threads. Is that wrong? Something I may not have thought of myself until someone else brought it up.

A case in point was the "avatar anywhere" created by Sub-Devo. I never heard of it. Someone else inquired about it. I liked it and said so on the thread ~ and am using it ~ with modifications done by Brian on that thread. I thought that's what support is all about.  And I acknowledge both ProBoards and the coders by giving them the respect they deserve by crediting them in my forum in public view.

As far as public forums vs. private like my friends, I think it depends on individual preference. Some love the idea of being completely shielded from public viewing. I see so many forums like that on support. So it truly is to each their own.

My board is completely open to view ~ all threads. But you must register to post.

We each must decide what our goals are for our forums and what works best for us and our needs.

I know that being in the public view means just that. My forum's link can be posted anywhere, not just here on ProBoards and I am subject to my images and designs being pirated. That's the risk I take, we all take if our forums are public. 

Placing links to our forums probably makes us more vulnerable. If we didn't do that, most couldn't find them. But when we make it easy for others to check us out, there are good consequences (more members) and bad .

[Former Member]

I can see your point Luv and I have found many of codes from searching. It is just most people don't want to do the searching and instead when they post member's sites when asking for something to me that is what irks me the most. I am not saying a code is mine. But when a coder makes a special code for a member for them and the coder puts that it was created for X, and just because the code is posted, to me you are saying it is up for grabs for everyone. I know with us having our sites open and if we need help or want to advertise it puts all of us open for pirates. Speaking of your site, It is beautifully done. I take my hat off to you because you are a creative person.

I guess, the main reason this irks me so much is because I have had people even join my site act very nice only to find out she stole something that was actually mine. I do PSP and I teach it and when this gal stole my tutorials and put them on her site then deny it, ever since has put a bad taste in my mouth.