Comments on: Copyright Infringement In Action

By: Jesper Sommer

Jesper Sommer — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:51:13 +0000

Frankly I am surprised that your foul language and insults got pass the moderation.

Your example with uranium or grapes is as irrelevant as it is nonsensical. Nobody suggested to punish the piracy in question with the same punishment as for terrorists who steal weapons grade plutonium. The punishment should fit the crime – sure. Who said anything else? Did anybody suggest treating the software pirates in this case in the same way as the US military treats Al Qaida? Who the hell are you even making that comparison???

And yes, I live in an IP world. I develop software. I get paid for that. And my salary depends on a business model where customers actually pay for the work I provide to them.

Do you work for free yourself? If yes, I have a job or you. Throw me a note and I will get you on the team. We promise not to clutter your life with evil money … only … drop the profanity and attitude. I get enough of that from my kids.

By: mvario

mvario — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:31:37 +0000

It’s a sad day when the whole “copyright” that Madison invested so much time in convincing Jefferson that maybe it was a good idea for the public welfare is even an issue with a little bitmap of some woodgrain. Somehow I don’t think this is what those folks envisioned. We should probably scrap the whole thing as most of the time it isn’t used for its intended purpose.

By: cak

cak — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:14:14 +0000

Yes, stealing a grape from the fruit section of your supermarket is the same as stealing weapon grade Uranium, wake up sheeple.

No, it is not the same. Yes, we need to take into consideration about what is being “stolen”. **** you and your IP, IP is such a waste anyway. I am sure you love living in the world where you own IP, what a great world that is.

By: Steven Fisher

Steven Fisher — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:04:59 +0000

Cool! Since I don’t have Photoshop or Windows, would you mind sending me nice looking woodgrain images to the specifications I provide?

The first one I need is a pine texture that’s 811×113 pixels. It should look good when repeated horizontally.

That’s just the first one. After a few iterations, we’ll get one that’s nice and we can move on to the next size.

Of course, I expect this free. And I’ll also need a free license to use it how I feel fit.

By: Steven Fisher

Steven Fisher — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:41:42 +0000

Yes, it is, because he’s licensed them.

By: Steven Fisher

Steven Fisher — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:41:00 +0000

“If anything he should be flattered that they are copying his UI design.”

He had to pay someone to create that image.

“Rather than litigate why not put energy into something positive like developing even better apps?”

Because calling them out took soooo much energy.

By: Name (required)

Name (required) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:07:11 +0000

@Mike (19), if it’s that easy, you wouldn’t need a nice 5-minute Photoshop tutorial or a free Windows program. If it’s that easy, the infringers should have made it themselves.

By: Johno

Johno — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:59:55 +0000

I think some of you are confused (not uncommon). The person didn’t steal the woodgrain background idea, they stole the exact background image from the Delicious Library App! That is pretty lame, and I don’t think Wil Shilpley got anywhere near “bent out of shape”, but merely called the guy out. Good for him. It was probably fun!

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:24:10 +0000

You’re bent out of shape because someone copied a woodgrain texture? This is so far beyond “pathetic” that words fail me. I mean really, it’s pretty easy to make a woodgrain texture far better than that the one you’re having kittens over:

A nice, 5-minute PhotoShop tutorial: http://www.tutorio.com/tutorial/photoshop-wood-texture

And here’s a free Windows program for making very nice, hi-rez wood textures: http://www.spiralgraphics.biz/ww_overview.htm

By: Jesper Sommer

Jesper Sommer — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:44:07 +0000

You have to stop seein this as an issue regarding a wooden background. Because when you try to reduce it to that, you are also saying that is “ok” to steal simple things but still not ok to steal complex things (like the entire application). The legal system cannot function with such fluid orders. Either it is ok to take (“steal”) someones intellectual property, or not. You can’t have it both ways.

In this case it’s really quite simple. Someone stole a piece of intellectual property and used the stolen goods to make a profit. That is illegal – and in my opinion it should be. It doesen’n matter hos simple or complex the stolen IP is. Really!

In addition I am pretty sure that the background has taken many hours to perfect. And the stolen icons (which nobody seems to discuss?) propably took even longer. Making nice looking graphics in the space of 32×32 pixels is extremely hard and time consuming.

Who cares if it was stolen pixels or stolen programming code? The owner worked hard to create it and he owns the result.

Yes. It really IS that simple!