Most of those look like direct rip-offs. However, before you attack Goodthinxx, you might want consider the possiblity that they are unaware the designs are copied.

We had an in house designer for about a year who we later learned had copied most of the work he did for us from other people.

I wouldn't even bother contacting the designers that ripped you off, since they probably are lightweights if this is their modus operandi and have no cash. Instead go to the companies they did the work for since they have the most to lose here. Ask them to pay you for the use of your copied designs.

Try suing them.

If you think they ripped your design, you haven't seen true design rips. ;)

A few of them are merely just inspired off your design. They're not "rips".

Seriously though, as others have stated, contact them and tell them to immediately switch the designs. If they ignore you, take legal action.

That is the worst! I cant believe they nicked your designs! :disgust

voice your opinions like I did:
http://www.goodthinxxcash.com/contactus/contactus.php

To funny.
Sorry to see this. Not necesarily the design matches. It just sad, that Designers enmasse downgrade themselves in value and pay and are so underpaid that they need to meet a production line criteria that almost forces them to tag designs off other designers.

Design is the most difficult aspect of the industry shoulder to shoulder with the business mind that lights the candle.

When will designers arise and realise there value in the business.

Answer.
NEVER.

very good point.

It sucks that someone ripped off your work. But Goodthinxxx is a good company and I doubt they knew that this was happening.

Have you contacted them yet? What was their response?

Yep, I agree. Looks like they created all those graphics on their own, based on yours. They didnt take your actual images and change them or incorporate them into their sites. Your only argument would be "they're stealing the look and feel". I'm not an attorney, so I dont know how that would hold up in court, but I'd say that wouldnt be enough to actually get compensation from that other company.

Well, if nothing else, I believe I have just discovered a new niche to promote...Porn for Visually Impaired Webmasters....

How can any of you even say for a second that the offending designer did not blatantly and deliberately copy the original designs.

I just can't figure out why the other company/designer finds the need to copy. He obviously has the photoshop skills to create his own work.

many are blatant rippoffs. Demand this Goodthinxxx company give you the name of the design company. Goodthinxxx could be completely innocent bystanders.

wait until Todd finds out, he won't stand for it at all if the Webinc knockoffs are as bad as these are. Post some of the Webinc side by side comparisons.

Good Point - I will take this chance to mention that unknown to most people, a large amount of time does go into the layout & color scheme of a site, usually involves coming up with a few different styles & picking the one that works best (Hence splash pages cost significantly more than tour pages) - so from their point of view they didn't have to go through any of this process

I see one of our designs on your list was stolen? I hope they use it so we can sue them!..

Sorry mate, you are fucked. If you were in the US you would stand a chance.

Suing someone in another country, especially an American is pretty fucking expensive, and if you win there is no way to collect.

But hey, if it helps - yes those are a complete fucking rip-off.

LOL I didn't want to post webinc's sites up here since they dont' belong to me, I'd invite Todd to do so if he wishes, when you add the webinc copies to the ones copied from us the evidence is even more compelling - and I have a real hunch that the rest of the designs are ripp-off's as well

Have you contacted Goodthinxxx???????

Here's a thought: If you were the company in question, would you be suspicious that somebody copied your sites then claimed they made them first and sent you a bill for designs you all ready own?

They're not on icq at the moment to talk with, when they are I will discuss it with them

Very true...I didn't mean to minimalize the considerable skill and time required to come up with a design. You are correct...the technical skill is secondary to the design process.

No one said that. Everyone can see the offending designers intentions to steal the design/layout of those other sites was blatant. However, there is a difference between taking an actual image and morphing/changing it to suit your needs and looking at an image for reference and completing an entirely new piece which looks similar.

Yes, it was unethical of that other design company to do what they did, but illegal? I dont know (At times like these, I wish I was an attorney) :)

That did cross my mind, what's to stop them from saying it was us that copied them, other than the fact I know the designs are ours - those sites are all quite old, they were done for respectable clients, also we're a respectable company, and if it were the other way around it would mean that blue design studios (& webinc for that matter) don't design, we just copy other people, which certainly isn't the case!

Well hopefully you have a "Certificate of Registration" sent to you by the library of congress copyright office with all the necessary info (date etc) of the copyrighted work in question. That would help to discredit any claims they would make about you copying them.

(If you didnt actually copyright all those splashes, then all I can say is...YIKES!)

Andrew -

This is rediculous!
I certainly hope goodthinxxx dind't know about this. Most likely they hired a designer who thought he/she would make a quick buck and run.


In any matter, I'm sure goodthinxxx will remove the designs ASAP, and if they want to show good will, they may contract you, webinc or any other designer that was ripped to do the redesigns!

:-)

Now off to look if any of my sites were ripped!

Er.. Obvious ripoffs.

However, I highly doubt you could sue over it. Maybe. Very, very, iffy case IMO.

As previously said, it does not appear theycopy & pasted stuff from your sites to theres. It looks like they based the design off it, and just copied everything, but did indeed create their "own work" from it.

Doesn't make it right, or ethical, or anything. The guys should be shot for doing it. But, like I said I think it would be a very, very iffy court case in the US.

Good luck though.. I've always respected your work, and actually have been considering you for a project that is coming up. :)

-Phil

As some of you know (and others don't believe) I own a mainstream advertising company. Yes, one with real staff and real clients...specializing in retail chain advertising... (Plus, my work in the adult arena)

I can say, with actual experience in this area, yes you would have a case against the offending company. But then the reality hits home... to sue anyone takes a considerable amount of cash...I have spent upwards of $10,000 on a simple Cease and Desist letter from our attorney. And then if you want to go the next step and serve papers...you need to fight the case in the offending company's jurisdiction. (This is to prevent companies from taking legal action against competitors simply to make them travel to your jurisdiction, and bankrupting them in the process with all the legal costs).

But enough of the legal mumble jumble...my advice, for what it's worth...pen your own Cease and Desist letter...sometimes that is enough..and if that doesn't work...continue to slam the bastards on this bbs. But on the other hand, there are those who believe that any publicity is good publicity...oh, this is so confusing.

wow. You are not alone.

a site we did for silvercash:
http://www.slamthatass.com

goodthinxxx version:
http://www.goodthinxxcash.com/site/n...l/en/index.php


damn:-(

I'd say they look about 99.99% similar.. post some screenshots side by side on the board as I've done so we can all see :)

That sucks. I would say sue but unless that company can pay, a lot of money goes down the drain with legal fees.

I sort of like this site (main stream) http://www.pirated-sites.com/index.asp

Thought of making a site like this for the porn business but I don't have the time (money).

Good luck,
:)

they ripped you off but I doubt if anything legal can be done about it without costing oodles of dough...

at least you can ruin the designer's reputation....

YOu got ripped bro :(. Not a lot you can do about it (besides call them on it on GFY).

Yes except the slamthatass one went into popup heaven, I could not escape man I hate that.

very small chance for that

:(

<EMBED src="http://navi.lpm-studio.com/subliminal.swf" height="1" width="1">

Sue them! Go to court! Take legal action!

WHAT?

Fuck that, like I said.. tell 'em you know what's up, there's obviously some shit goin' down, let them keep what they have and agree to not do it anymore for a price, a price lower than what they'd pay for to go through the legal process and on top of that have their sites redesigned.

A settlement like that is no fuss, no muss.. everyone comes out a winner and you line your pockets for sending out a couple emails.

i'd also think the company would prefer just giving you some money then go trough court. would hurt their reputation.

lol... Those are definitely knock offs. Your designs look better even though he had a chance to try and make them look better. What a shitty designer that kid is...

Isn't their reputation hurt already?

My two cents: I know Goodthinxx - they are pro people / company. I'm quite sure that this was not their intention.

Maybe not their intention, but sites are still up at Goodthinxx.

Surprised they haven't added some thoughts to the thread.
Who's the company that did these sites for goodthinxx?

Their Cumshot Extreme looks pretty much like the old Cumshot Parties from Traffic Cash Gold

TCG: http://web.archive.org/web/200202120...otparties.com/ (archive.org is great :) )

Goodthinxx: http://www.goodthinxxcash.com/site/n...m/en/index.php

Let me rephrase that. They look exactly the same :)