Ripped My Theme? You will Get Reported!
Serious, this is really crossing all the borders.
First people downloaded my free themes, changed a few graphics and resold them as their own.. it was annoying but okay, be it! Then, a few smart guys figured a good way to get their SERPs and traffic boosted without spending a penny — just take all the best free themes for wordpress, not much, around 2000 is enough, sit and redo the footers, throw the designers and partners links away, they don’t deserve to be there, and place your own. That’s a great business, I am telling you!
While there is always a small percentage of cheeky users who decide to get rid of the footer credits on the FREE themes, today I got really shocked. While browsing the comments on this blog, I noticed the guy from myblogit . net complaining about “Arium” theme not working properly with widgets. I naively assumed he is using the theme and it doesn’t work for him, so I thought I will go visit his site and see what might be causing the problem… what do I see? Bloody hell, toptut.com’s custom theme. Status: ripped…
Similar or not, you decide, but in case it does look rather different to you, the colours probably resemble my other design much more — www.nowg.net and MY css, didn’t undergo through much changes from the one where David claims to be the author.
Now, how did this happen?
Toptut.com’s theme, just like nowg.net’s theme, were unique and designed by me (Lorelei Web Design) coded from my layered PSD, they never were and never will be free themes that users can download anywhere online. But that guy obviously uses my (Tom Sramek’s, to be exact) css, structure, idea, and even the graphics have the same names (why bother renaming?). Which leaves me with only one conclusion, he just ripped it directly from my server!!! Ain’t this bloody cute? Yes, I am angry. Not only they had no decency to ASK me if maybe I mind having my theme ripped, and not only they didn’t bother to at least say in their footer that this theme is based on the one they took from me while I was sleeping, but they also go further and credit themselves in the css! Marvolous.
I spend weeks combining the colours, deciding on the right structure, usability, then comes the hard coding part. This work eventually builds my reputation as a designer and if people see what I present as “Unique” on 10 other blogs, they will think I just make a “unique” theme and sell it over and over until I run out of clients. Right? That’s what I’d have thought, if I was a client.
Bottom line: if I spot anyone ripping one of the unique designs I made, OR, using / offering my free themes with removed credits, — email with complaint about copyright infringement will be sent directly to your host with demand to take the account down. I am really tired of the DAILY correspondence with those who rip and resell free themes on digital point forums, and those who “didn’t know replacing the designer link was not allowed”, and those who have ten thausand more excuses.
Today, one of my clients just reported blinger . org for offering my themes with ripped credits (they don’t offer only my themes), and I will do the same with everyone will rips my work from now on. No joke, there really have to be some limits!
UPDATE: It took a few emails, but me and David resolved the issue, looks like he got scammed and receieved my theme from someone else, but the guy who sold it probably dropped his free email account because any attempt to contact him failed and email bounced back, so guess it’s a dead end now and I will never nail the original theif. *sigh*.
18 Responses
oh my god, this is really shameless !!!! I would be angry as well !!! You’re right don’t be let those peple make profit on your back !!!! It is really obviuos that he stoll your design, your code and your blog identity !
I support you !
Well, I couldn’t find a form to contact you privately, but I figured this would get caught in the moderation cue and you could reply as you see fit.
I use one of the older themes (namely: inFantasy), which over the last month or two I’ve played around with the backend extensively, tweaked stuff, stripped out alot more stuff, updated it for XHMTL 1.1 Strict, etc, the list goes on. As such, I felt the “Coded by” link was both poorly worded, even for the original meaning, and no longer applicable, so I removed that single link, leaving the “Designed by” link active, since it was still obviously the same basic design, which was yours (and it’s a great one, I love it).
My question is this: is this acceptable to you?
Wow I feel for ya. Similar is one thing, but that’s downright theft. I hope they don’t get away with it.
Such a shame
I had checked his blog yesterday and it was almost an exact copy as you said it was.
Today I at first noticed he only changed the CSS a bit, so I left a comment on his blog, about half an hour later I see he changed his design completly, AND has edited my comment from bad looking to good looking.
He is a very worthy addition to the WordPress community..pffff
I kindly requested him with a new comment to delete my previous comment totally, since thoose arent my words.
I posted this:
Great interview, good to see you like to be an active part of the wp-community.
However what I dont understand, in your about page you say:
WordPress – I love to play around with WordPress, I find the code very elegant. Like most people would appreciate a fine work of art. But with WordPress you can alter the way it works. Also, I love tearing into WordPress Themes. Especially those themes developed by top notch designers
Do you mean with “tearing”, ripping? yesterday you got caught red-handed, and what did you do, instead of just admit it, you silently, tweaked the css a bit….it did look different yesterday, didnt it?
Good luck with your blog, great design, but you made your name known (also on DP) as being not very fair.
It was posted directly, as all good bloggers know: leave the auto-approve option open and for sure you have only clean comments….lol
Anyway, checked later and after the words “topnotch designers” everything has been deleted…..
Guess he doesnt allow negative comments
So my last entry (if its still there):
Ok, since you prefer not to have the truth spoken and thus edited/deleted the last part of my previous comment, and make it look like a nice entry….
I kindly request you to remove my previous comment completly since I dont approve having my wordsa changed from something bad looking to good looking.
If you call that “freedom of speech”…so be it
ps. thanks for crawling back, allthough i like this design as well, the previous one is way better
Good luck with your blog Lorelei, at least you do approve negative comments of any sort
And all the best with your fight against the rippers, if I spot any for sure will notify you.
wow tis was a big GOOD comment Tijger !!!! i did check his design and it was obvious he stole it !
Tijger,
Sorry I edited/removed your comment. This is not normal practice for me. I just didn’t want this issue to reflect on the young designer I was featuring with the interview you posted your comments on.
This is mine to deal with and should not reflect on her. She had nothing to do with it. I did.
David,
No hard feelings, but I just think things should have been said as they are said, I see many bloggers never posting negative comments.
Or post the whole comment made or dont post it all (doesnt only reflect to you in this case, because also on other places ive seen edited comments).
I know it was a bit off-topic, but it just had to be said.
I will stop here.
I’m sorry it happened to you. He shoulda been more careful and smart.
Sadly this happens a lot and after I have read this post, I went back and checked my 2 websites that uses Lorelei’s designs.
The first one – http://www.sushimadesimple.com – that’s a blog about sushi and focused on Brazil, everything is alright, but when I have checked my wife’s blog, http://www.cakendesign.com – the theme I’m 100% sure that is from Lorelei (I have added the cake – I had to customize a little bit, sorry), but I have never touched anything else from the design and my surprise, the credits on the design are not set to Lorelei. Now I’m not sure if the credits on the current template are correct or not. So, Lorelei, if the credits are wrong, can you send me the info so I can change it and make the design credits to the one that really deserves…
don’t worry about it, there will always be A-holes who rip people off, but the majority appreciate your work and use it properly. I think your designs are awesome, I’m definitely gonna be coming back for more….keep up the good work….btw, do u deviantart?
agreed, i hate those damn lamers, a few weeks back i found a guy trying to sell links on one of my freely released themes, of course claiming that he did it and he has PSD file
just by curiosity i messaged him asking for a preview of the PSD, and guess what? he only showed me the logo’s psd(which was included with the theme) so then i told him who i really am and what damage i can do to him
anyway, great post Lorelei
Tijger,
it’s not happen in all case of blogging. depends on your quality of blog/article and whetever.so you dont to said all commenter/Blogger never post negative.
I did notice that some of the themes you’ve released don’t have a licence file in with them. It would be a good idea to do that.
A large number of people believe that if it is a free wordpress theme, they can do what they like.
GPL the code, and CC (or otherwise) the graphics. Well, you can CC the code too, or make your themes paid ones(a small amount would probably be enough to stop ripoffs).
GPL on the code still means they can make whatever changes they like *to the code itself*. Just asking people to leave your links in there doesn’t leave you with much legal protection, I’m afraid.
you’ll have to do some research and re license your themes accordingly. While the above link-stuffing sucks, it’s not exactly illegal.
Hi everyone,
It’s not intrusion but an humble request to the community here.
I have recently started an articles website and would request you (I will appreciate if you can) to please spare some time and post articles at my site.
Thanks
Prashant
http://www.depositarticles.com
I can sympathize with your situation. I have had numerous designs ripped off myself. However, one thing I’ve learned over the years is that watermarking your images with a secret word strategically placed can often help you prove that the design is yours.
On the flip side, nothing is safe from being stolen, especially on the Web. Unfortunately, you have the burden of proof and no smart ISP will remove a site if you just “demand” that they take it down because someone stole your design. In most countries, including the United States, it would be illegal for them to do so.
My suggestion would be to lighten up a bit or not put anything out there that you don’t want ripped off because it will most definitely happen again if you’re a good designer.
[...email with complaint about copyright infringement will be sent directly to your host with demand to take the account down.]
You think this will do any good? What does a host care when someone rips a wordpress theme? Why would they bump one of their paying customers? They have nothing to do with the copyright infringement.
You’ve got every right to be upset, but be realistic about it, when you release stuff on the internet, it’s out there. People can pretty much do what they want with it.
Unless you’re a company or person with money to spend on big-time lawyers for something as trivial (because that’s what it is, sorry) as wordpress themes, nothing much you can do about it.
But I do agree with you, it’s lame when you see someone using your themes for fame or profit.
What can do nothing if someone Ripped your theme??Nothing!
If some one copied some contents from your blog, it will become copied content and it will not get importance in search engines. But the case of template is not like this.
Take the case of free themes: All of your free themes are very nice. If some one removed credit links from footer in his blog Where you will report? No hosts will go to Down the sites if you report to them.
Because Wordpress allows theme customization all the users can edit CSS, footer etc very easily.
Some solution is to be found out to give protection to the works of designers like you…
wow.. This is like the mother of all ripoffs.. Now they started ripping off personal sites too.. There is a 110% css match.. well, you don’t need a css match to identify this ripoff..
It is so obvious..even the images have same name..
Did you contact this guy? Have you ever released any themes with this structure before?
This is too bad..
Jinson