Comments on: Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/imitation-equals-flattery/ Read the latest hosted VoIP and business VoIP service news at the FreedomIQ VoIP Blog Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:09:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Nick Gowdy http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/imitation-equals-flattery/comment-page-1/#comment-692 Nick Gowdy Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:10:47 +0000 http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/?p=1058#comment-692 Update! It appears the latter offender is actually doing site testing (e.g. Google Website Optimizer) and has taken down the site version that was originally cited in this post. I've updated the link to a new variation they have up that is far, far closer to our original. Update!

It appears the latter offender is actually doing site testing (e.g. Google Website Optimizer) and has taken down the site version that was originally cited in this post. I’ve updated the link to a new variation they have up that is far, far closer to our original.

]]> By: Nick Gowdy http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/imitation-equals-flattery/comment-page-1/#comment-691 Nick Gowdy Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:25:06 +0000 http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/?p=1058#comment-691 @Tedd: It's not all that much trouble. We've now developed a SOP for dealing with this sort of thing, so it doesn't really distract us from our primary goal of better serving our customers. We have had some customers see both sites in each instance, so this blog was partly to preempt future confusion and partly to let our more disreputable competitors know that we won't tolerate this moving forward. @Ron: Thanks for the advice! We've got many, many hi-res screenshots and we've set the appropriate balls in motion for further action. I think you're right -- these companies just assume they can get away with it on a cost-benefit reasoning on our part. This sort of thing doesn't happen to Fortune 500 companies for exactly the reason that teams of high-paid lawyers frothing at the mouth would mobilize the moment it did. Ultimately, the DMCA is in place to protect copyright holders of any size from these kinds of practices. We're doing what we feel is the right thing by reporting it, exposing it, and following through. @Tedd:

It’s not all that much trouble. We’ve now developed a SOP for dealing with this sort of thing, so it doesn’t really distract us from our primary goal of better serving our customers. We have had some customers see both sites in each instance, so this blog was partly to preempt future confusion and partly to let our more disreputable competitors know that we won’t tolerate this moving forward.

@Ron:

Thanks for the advice! We’ve got many, many hi-res screenshots and we’ve set the appropriate balls in motion for further action. I think you’re right — these companies just assume they can get away with it on a cost-benefit reasoning on our part. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to Fortune 500 companies for exactly the reason that teams of high-paid lawyers frothing at the mouth would mobilize the moment it did.

Ultimately, the DMCA is in place to protect copyright holders of any size from these kinds of practices. We’re doing what we feel is the right thing by reporting it, exposing it, and following through.

]]> By: Ron David Pierce http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/imitation-equals-flattery/comment-page-1/#comment-690 Ron David Pierce Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:00:37 +0000 http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/?p=1058#comment-690 A lot of companies don't take website copyrights seriously, because they don't think the people they're copying are going to pursue it in court. If you're serious about suing, be sure to take a lot of hi-res screen captures (better than the ones posted here) and get your DMCA complaint in ASAP. I've seen cases like this go for whopping damages if acted on quickly, and for absolute zilch if the "offending parties" as you put it change the site / disappear before you can get any evidence in hand. If you just want them to take down the websites, you should check out a company like www.dmca.com, they're quick and they get the job done for a lot less than any lawyer. A lot of companies don’t take website copyrights seriously, because they don’t think the people they’re copying are going to pursue it in court.

If you’re serious about suing, be sure to take a lot of hi-res screen captures (better than the ones posted here) and get your DMCA complaint in ASAP. I’ve seen cases like this go for whopping damages if acted on quickly, and for absolute zilch if the “offending parties” as you put it change the site / disappear before you can get any evidence in hand.

If you just want them to take down the websites, you should check out a company like http://www.dmca.com, they’re quick and they get the job done for a lot less than any lawyer.

]]> By: Tedd Gibson http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/imitation-equals-flattery/comment-page-1/#comment-689 Tedd Gibson Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:42:45 +0000 http://www.freedomiq.com/blog/?p=1058#comment-689 Seems like a lot of trouble to go to just to out a couple shady little competitors, but you are right in that this kind of behavior should be stamped out wherever it pops up. I've never had this happen to me on a website, but I can relate to the frustration of having hard work ripped off. It's one thing to be "inspired" by the competition and to keep an eye on what they're doing so you can learn from it. It's entirely different to grab it, dump it on your own website, tweak it a little, and make money off of it. Fortunately for you, these are the backwards thinking jerks you are up against. Heh. Great work! Seems like a lot of trouble to go to just to out a couple shady little competitors, but you are right in that this kind of behavior should be stamped out wherever it pops up. I’ve never had this happen to me on a website, but I can relate to the frustration of having hard work ripped off.

It’s one thing to be “inspired” by the competition and to keep an eye on what they’re doing so you can learn from it. It’s entirely different to grab it, dump it on your own website, tweak it a little, and make money off of it. Fortunately for you, these are the backwards thinking jerks you are up against. Heh.

Great work!

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