Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design?

aekaplan · 02-19-2009, 12:23 AM

There are some gorgeous sites out there. I just played around with one, I copied the html source code and threw it into Dreamweaver. I made sure I had all the images from the site, and tested it, and it comes up absolutely perfectly. Here's the kicker: there was no copyright on the page. Take for example a Health Cleansing Product Review page that is very profesional. If there is no copyright on the page, is there any legal guideline preventing me from copying the source code (publicly accessible) and re-uploading the page with my own text? Legally, can I take that design and then write my own copy over it? I don't want to break any laws here, but there are some gorgeous landing pages out there and if there is nothing illegal with using those designs as my own, then the conversion possibilities are huge. A great design can mean so much. Let me know your thoughts and what you know regarding this idea!

Kay King · 02-19-2009, 12:33 AM

A page is automatically copyrighted when it goes online - it doesn't have to say it's copyrighted. No, you can't take the source code and images from a site you like and use it as your own. Major violation and could cause you major problems. You can't take an image you like from another site and use it - that's copyrighted, too, as is the text....and the source code.

If you see a design you like you can create a site similar in design using the same colors and layout, etc - but build it yourself. Of course there are gorgeous sites online - and people that spend a lot of time building them to be unique.

kay

Mubarak Waseem · 02-19-2009, 04:02 AM

the rule is this:

You CAN copy the concept, and the idea, but not the FORM. That means if you see something that works well on that site (eg colour scheme) you can use that colour scheme. After all, they are not THEIR colours.

however you can't use those colours in THE SAME WAY that they did...

wayfarer · 02-19-2009, 07:16 AM

The only exception would be if there are comments in the code indicating it is released under one of the various open-source licenses. You can be sued and be liable for significant damages if you just rip people off openly.

tajimd · 02-19-2009, 08:29 AM

All you can take is inspiration from someone elses design, but can't copy the entire code. That's 100% illegal

aekaplan · 02-19-2009, 04:02 PM

I appreciate the responses, I figured as much. With a bit of inspiration and some creativity, I think it's definitely possible to take a concept that's fantastic, make it your own, and go from there. Thanks for the insights!

wayfarer · 02-20-2009, 10:19 AM

On a humorous note, what would be wrong with ripping off Chinese web designs? After all, they rip off our music constantly.

Quest4Light · 02-20-2009, 07:43 PM

Basically true for anything written... even before it's published. If they can prove that it was created before you (if it's online there's no question) ... you will have problems. Definitly not worth it. About the color scheme... I would say it would be pretty hard for anyone to claim copyright infringements. That would be like saying a romantic comedy about two women in love with the same man is a copied from a romantic comedy about two woman in love with the same man. If you had all the same links in the same spots with the same graphics and just changed some words... you'd be looking suspect... but a color scheme is pretty general and there is no way to prove you didn't imagine the same color scheme. After the editing though you would only save a small chunk of time. You'd save something.

Richard Whyte · 02-21-2009, 07:41 AM

Simple answer...

Concept ideas are open... IE If you like the double banner at top with three columns, go for it.

Code.... NO.

Images... NO.

It's just in bad taste to rip code from a site and toss it up on your site. You can look at code and learn from it... Mmmmm, how the heck did they do that.... Oh, I see....

If you look at almost every website out on the net, they really are very similar groups.
I am sure you know what I mean.
Banner, two columns
Banner, three columns
Banner, one wide , one narrow column
No Banner, One column
etc

If you have any design skill at all and are looking to build a nice site, you tune your eye looking for ideas and the general information you want to get across to your audience.

Sketch out a simple layout and then start building. These days, CSS is so powerful you can build almost any type of layout you want fairly easy....

Have a Great Day!

Mubarak Waseem · 02-21-2009, 05:29 PM

no. I am a desinger, and I would NEVER copy code. If I see something that looks good, I'd write the code myself, and if I couldn't get a warrior to do it or find a tutorial lol!

mywebwork · 02-21-2009, 05:54 PM

I agree with the consensus here - you can use other peoples designs as inspiration for your own but copying code, content and graphics is out of the question.

As an example I'm currently designing an application that has an interface inspired by the iGoogle page. Like iGoogle my design allows users to customize their own "desktop" with widgets that they can drag and drop anywhere they choose. The functionality is virtually identical to iGoogle simply because it makes sense, not because I copied any of their code.

And while the design was indeed inspired by iGoogle it also has what I consider to be several improvements. So you could say that this is an enhanced iGoogle-like design. And it could even work 2 ways - by some miracle a Google engineer could come across my web application and become inspired by the enhancements that I've made. And you never know, those enhancements may show up in a future release of iGoogle. And they wouldn't copy my code, they would just copy the concept.

This sort of thing happens all the time and is perfectly acceptable. I suggest that you use the site that impresses you as an inspiration for your own design. Perhaps you can even improve upon it.

Bill

02-19-2009, 12:23 AM	#1
aekaplan HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 144 Thanks: 25 Thanked 16 Times in 7 Posts	Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? There are some gorgeous sites out there. I just played around with one, I copied the html source code and threw it into Dreamweaver. I made sure I had all the images from the site, and tested it, and it comes up absolutely perfectly. Here's the kicker: there was no copyright on the page. Take for example a Health Cleansing Product Review page that is very profesional. If there is no copyright on the page, is there any legal guideline preventing me from copying the source code (publicly accessible) and re-uploading the page with my own text? Legally, can I take that design and then write my own copy over it? I don't want to break any laws here, but there are some gorgeous landing pages out there and if there is nothing illegal with using those designs as my own, then the conversion possibilities are huge. A great design can mean so much. Let me know your thoughts and what you know regarding this idea!

02-19-2009, 12:33 AM	#2
Kay King Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gulf Coast, USA. Posts: 15,134 Thanks: 3,680 Thanked 4,118 Times in 2,245 Posts	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? A page is automatically copyrighted when it goes online - it doesn't have to say it's copyrighted. No, you can't take the source code and images from a site you like and use it as your own. Major violation and could cause you major problems. You can't take an image you like from another site and use it - that's copyrighted, too, as is the text....and the source code. If you see a design you like you can create a site similar in design using the same colors and layout, etc - but build it yourself. Of course there are gorgeous sites online - and people that spend a lot of time building them to be unique. kay

02-19-2009, 04:02 AM	#3
Mubarak Waseem TheMinisiteKid.com War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hiding Behind your Monitor Posts: 1,436 Thanks: 254 Thanked 102 Times in 77 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? the rule is this: You CAN copy the concept, and the idea, but not the FORM. That means if you see something that works well on that site (eg colour scheme) you can use that colour scheme. After all, they are not THEIR colours. however you can't use those colours in THE SAME WAY that they did...
	*SIMPLY the BEST design service on the WF - Better than most $2K+ designers, all for less than $200!* New Sites: Wedding Photographer Surrey \| Wedding Photographer Essex \| Learn Magic Tricks

02-19-2009, 07:16 AM	#4
wayfarer Web Developer Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Asheville, NC USA Posts: 420 Thanks: 18 Thanked 57 Times in 51 Posts Social Networking	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? The only exception would be if there are comments in the code indicating it is released under one of the various open-source licenses. You can be sued and be liable for significant damages if you just rip people off openly.
	Wayfarer \| join me on StoryBlorg

02-19-2009, 08:29 AM	#5
tajimd I am Legend War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Interweb Posts: 33 Thanks: 4 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? All you can take is inspiration from someone elses design, but can't copy the entire code. That's 100% illegal
	I make kickass Wordpress Theme. PM me if you need anything made.

02-19-2009, 04:02 PM	#6
aekaplan HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 144 Thanks: 25 Thanked 16 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? I appreciate the responses, I figured as much. With a bit of inspiration and some creativity, I think it's definitely possible to take a concept that's fantastic, make it your own, and go from there. Thanks for the insights!

02-20-2009, 10:19 AM	#7
wayfarer Web Developer Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Asheville, NC USA Posts: 420 Thanks: 18 Thanked 57 Times in 51 Posts Social Networking	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? On a humorous note, what would be wrong with ripping off Chinese web designs? After all, they rip off our music constantly.
	Wayfarer \| join me on StoryBlorg

02-20-2009, 07:43 PM	#8
Quest4Light Warrior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? Basically true for anything written... even before it's published. If they can prove that it was created before you (if it's online there's no question) ... you will have problems. Definitly not worth it. About the color scheme... I would say it would be pretty hard for anyone to claim copyright infringements. That would be like saying a romantic comedy about two women in love with the same man is a copied from a romantic comedy about two woman in love with the same man. If you had all the same links in the same spots with the same graphics and just changed some words... you'd be looking suspect... but a color scheme is pretty general and there is no way to prove you didn't imagine the same color scheme. After the editing though you would only save a small chunk of time. You'd save something.

02-21-2009, 07:41 AM	#9
Richard Whyte HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 319 Thanks: 12 Thanked 51 Times in 44 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? Simple answer... Concept ideas are open... IE If you like the double banner at top with three columns, go for it. Code.... NO. Images... NO. It's just in bad taste to rip code from a site and toss it up on your site. You can look at code and learn from it... Mmmmm, how the heck did they do that.... Oh, I see.... If you look at almost every website out on the net, they really are very similar groups. I am sure you know what I mean. Banner, two columns Banner, three columns Banner, one wide , one narrow column No Banner, One column etc If you have any design skill at all and are looking to build a nice site, you tune your eye looking for ideas and the general information you want to get across to your audience. Sketch out a simple layout and then start building. These days, CSS is so powerful you can build almost any type of layout you want fairly easy.... Have a Great Day!
	Richard Whyte - Website Design, Search Engine Optimization and Online Marketing - WebYabber.com, Read my Blog - richard-whyte.com, Easy Sales Page Creator - Power Sales Page Creator

02-21-2009, 05:29 PM	#10
Mubarak Waseem TheMinisiteKid.com War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hiding Behind your Monitor Posts: 1,436 Thanks: 254 Thanked 102 Times in 77 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? no. I am a desinger, and I would NEVER copy code. If I see something that looks good, I'd write the code myself, and if I couldn't get a warrior to do it or find a tutorial lol!
	*SIMPLY the BEST design service on the WF - Better than most $2K+ designers, all for less than $200!* New Sites: Wedding Photographer Surrey \| Wedding Photographer Essex \| Learn Magic Tricks

02-21-2009, 05:54 PM	#11
mywebwork Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA & Montreal Canada Posts: 2,218 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 759 Thanked 724 Times in 505 Posts	Re: Legally, can I Recycle Somebody Else's Web Design? I agree with the consensus here - you can use other peoples designs as inspiration for your own but copying code, content and graphics is out of the question. As an example I'm currently designing an application that has an interface inspired by the iGoogle page. Like iGoogle my design allows users to customize their own "desktop" with widgets that they can drag and drop anywhere they choose. The functionality is virtually identical to iGoogle simply because it makes sense, not because I copied any of their code. And while the design was indeed inspired by iGoogle it also has what I consider to be several improvements. So you could say that this is an enhanced iGoogle-like design. And it could even work 2 ways - by some miracle a Google engineer could come across my web application and become inspired by the enhancements that I've made. And you never know, those enhancements may show up in a future release of iGoogle. And they wouldn't copy my code, they would just copy the concept. This sort of thing happens all the time and is perfectly acceptable. I suggest that you use the site that impresses you as an inspiration for your own design. Perhaps you can even improve upon it. Bill