phpBBModders.net

but that mad dont steal any images he didnt do anythink illegal.

This is obviously immoral what they are doing, but is there a legality issue with reproducing a style if they didn't steal images or code?

Can they really do that? I didn't think that a copyright can say you can't try to recreate it...

I'm pretty sure you can create something similar, but you can't use code/images from the copyrighted design...?

Example, phpBB.com style => Progrey (and the many other reproductions that were created before they finally released it)

Yes, that was my belief. You can make it the exact same, if you like, as long as you don't use any of the same images, as long as you make your own images.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

They could have copied someone else's board, but apparently liked this one.

Craig.

I believe someone mentioned that before, and it should be taken as both a compliment and an insult - a compliment that they liked it enough to copy it, an insult that they didn't think it important enough to ask phpBBModder's permission.

I remember that Cadbury once took another company or was it a store to court because they were using the color "purple". Obviously cadbury thought they could sue on that.

However the judge voted on the store's favor. Told them they can't copyright something that broad as a color.

However copyright laws vary between countries. So on the internet, that's even harder. What if that website was hosted in North Korea? They wouldn't even bother replying to your email if you were in US.

Breach of copyright is determined by these factors:

1. the purpose and character of the use;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.[10]
5. Educational use is regarded as "fair use" in most jurisdictions, but the restrictions vary wildly from nation to nation.

Another thing, is whether their using it for commercial purposes. And even then, that depends on the quantity or "completeness" of the work.

In some countries such most commonwealth, personal use is permissible unless of course such use is commercialized. And also depends on the quantity or "completeness" of the work.

My opinion:

3/4 Morally they have breached copyright.
1/4 Morally they haven't cause they simply made it them selves and imitated it. Plus it's kinda educational anyhow.
80% Legally why bother? It's not commercialized, plus it doesn't even rival you in marketshare. Example: Microsoft won't sue a 10 year old for taking their logo and using it for his soda store.

P.S. You'd probably win if you did take them to court, but the system loses.

So has anyone sent them an email yet?

No, because it is such a lame copy, we decided he could keep it

Anyways, copyright is not a rule for itself. Every creator/author has the right to create his own copyright rules (for his creations only). So as in the phpbb.com / progrey thing, phpbb.com has decided that they would allow that. What I do not understand about phpbb.com is that I made an exact same style as progrey, looong before progrey, and they didn't allow that one.

But to get back on phpbbmodders.net. We have decided that no-one may copy or recreate our style. However, since that site did such a bad job we can't really sue him for that, and i'm not even sure if we would, since it involves so much trouble. But any better recreations are prohibited. code copy is fine. Image copy is strictly prohibited, and not allowed in anyway, unless [url=http://phpbbmodders.net/board/ucp.php?mode=terms]we[/url] say different.

my site is not copying this style, it is only inspirated by it, grafic make his own css and html files, his own logo and images, nothing is copyied only idea, i think about i will add someting like this style is based on blablal, but i want less text in footer that is possible