Stop stealing my damn javascript code

EqualSlashed_Brian · Lurker Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 222 Location: IRC

I have a unique javascript chat HTML generator that I wrote from scratch. I don't know java very well so it took me quite a bit of time to complete, despite it's simplicity. I take great pride in my work.

Then I see that some dumbass from www.gameslum.com thought it would be funny to just steal it from me without giving me any credit at all.

I don't mind that people take my code, but this guy actually ripped it and then said he wrote it and gave it away to people, claiming he wrote it. I hate assholes that do that.

As you can see, the code is almost indentical to my code: http://equalslashed.net/?include=1
http://equalslashed.net/chatGen.js

Here is the code that they stole from me, that they claim is theirs:
http://www.gameslum.com/cg/
http://www.gameslum.com/cg/chatgen.js

All they did was they delete some stuff from my script and changed the HTML. I'm pretty upset about this.

My website and the javascript is released under a Creative Commons license. They MUST give me credit for my code, and they CANNOT build upon my code, by not following these terms they have violated this license.

Jason · Posted: Apr 11, 2005 5:07pm Post subject:

While I understand where you are coming from, you have to keep in mind this isn't a place to come to rant about things.

People are complaining about the "attitude" of the forums here and that people aren't being very nice to each other.

Have any suggestions?

EqualSlashed_Brian · Lurker Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 222 Location: IRC

I don't care that they stole it, but they can at least give me some credit for it. They even released my code as "Chat Generator v0.1 by whoever"... How can they write and release the code by them, that was wrote by me?

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 2064 Location: New Zealand

other than persue copyright infringment court actions (and also proving who wrote the code first), there is little that you can do to either get them to remove your script or at least credit you for it

codemastr · Idler Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 353

If you don't apply for a registered copyright, then it won't stand up in court at all. In the US, you must apply for such a copyright with the LOC, this is the difference between a © and an ®. Not to mention the fact that you're only going to be awarded as much money as they caused you to lose... how much money did stealing a free project cost you? I'm guessing next to nothing. So you'd first apply for a copyright (in the US this is about $30), then you'd hire a lawyer (several thousands), and then you'd get a judgement in your favor for about $10... doesn't seem worth it to me.

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 2064 Location: New Zealand

Jason · Posted: Apr 12, 2005 2:09pm Post subject:

It's not always good to get credit for your work.

I wrote darkbot many years ago. One day someone hacked a box, and used darkbot to issue commands via IRC to the box. Another person then wrote to a news group that darkbot was a hacking tool (which it isn't - it's simply a help robot). Right now if you look up darkbot in the antivirus sites, you'll see them listing it as a virus, a backdoor program, and they credit me with being a virus creator.

I've written to those idiots, but they don't listen. They even have a MD5 sum of the readme text that comes with darkbot and claim it's part of a virus development package. The readme itself clearly explains what darkbot is, and what it does.

pepolez · Lurker Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Posts: 163 Location: IRC

its sad that people steal and deceive on the net these days, but its just so common and no-one can be bothered stopping it Sad

hell, right now theres probably someone surfing my website stealing my xchat and eggdrop scripts and saying they made them for all i know.

but as codemastr said, there's no real way to stop it without actually applying for a registered copyright, and then taking anyone who steals it to court.

is it really worth the legal costs to try and protect your work these days?

EqualSlashed_Brian · Lurker Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 222 Location: IRC

I just sent a DMCA Notice to their host and got it removed, because they violated my license.

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 2064 Location: New Zealand

good on ya </brian>, persistance pays off

pepolez · Lurker Joined: 05 Oct 2004 Posts: 163 Location: IRC

three cheers for brian! Very Happy

braindigitalis · Idler Joined: 22 Sep 2003 Posts: 443 Location: IRC

zeke · Idler Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 321

or if the "material" is outside the US (even if owned by an american)

Xander · none Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 41

i suppose a slight remedy to stop stealing is disabling the right click function.

good luck though on getting it removed.

PingBad · Guru Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 2064 Location: New Zealand