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Not condoning any shoddy move by google, but have you noticed how the ProtonMail UI is a shameless ripoff of gmail? See these screenshots from ProtonMail: htt

Not condoning any shoddy move by google, but have you noticed how the ProtonMail UI is a shameless ripoff of gmail? See these screenshots from ProtonMail: https://protonmail.com/images/slider/compose.jpg https://protonmail.com/images/slider/compose.jpg https://protonmail.com/images/slider/inbox.jpg https://protonmail.com/images/slider/inbox.jpg https://protonmail.com/images/slider/column-labels.jpg https://protonmail.com/images/slider/column-labels.jpg

kuschku 10y ago
First, there’s no copyright on a general style, or theme. Nor can it be patented or trademarked. So, legally, this is already nothing. Second, this is not something Google invented – Google started with webmail, but many other companies had designed stuff like the in-frame editor, or other concepts before Google. So, even if ProtonMail outright copied Google, Google, because they copied together many other people’s ideas, wouldn’t have reached the Threshold of Originality.
- nickpsecurity 10y ago
  They're called Design Patents. They exist. Apple vs Samsung was quite a famous case over them with hundreds of millions in damages on the line. I have no idea if Google is using Design Patents on their products but can if they choose. https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/03/swipe-to-patent-design-patents-in-the-age-of-user-interfaces/ https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/03/swipe-to-patent-design-pat...
  - kuschku 10y ago
    ProtonMail is in Switzerland. Neither in Switzerland nor in the EU, Design Patents exist.
    - nickpsecurity 10y ago
      Your first sentence was broader than that. Far as EU, they're called registered designs. I don't know much about them past that they exist. They're also in Hague Agreement of WIPO which Switzerland is a party to. Apple's attack on Samsung in Germany was about them copying the interface and style. Situation isn't as clear cut to me given the above. Even if nothing applied in Switzerland, the countries supporting such things might block their local presence there under grounds of violations. This risk actually is why some companies, esp Chinese, won't do business in the U.S.. If this played out, they'd be blocked from serving customers in U.S. or any nation that upholded the claim against them.
ryanmarsh 10y ago
Resembles OWA and just about every other email web app. I don't follow your logic here.
everfree 10y ago
That actually looks quite different from Gmail to me, with the exception of the pop-out compose window. If anything the two-column layout reminds me more of Apple's Mail app.
appleflaxen 10y ago
In the same way that google Sheets is a shameless ripoff of MS excel. You might not like it, but it is generally legal to create products that clone others. edit: spelling

kuschku 10y ago

First, there’s no copyright on a general style, or theme. Nor can it be patented or trademarked. So, legally, this is already nothing. Second, this is not something Google invented – Google started with webmail, but many other companies had designed stuff like the in-frame editor, or other concepts before Google. So, even if ProtonMail outright copied Google, Google, because they copied together many other people’s ideas, wouldn’t have reached the Threshold of Originality.

nickpsecurity 10y ago
They're called Design Patents. They exist. Apple vs Samsung was quite a famous case over them with hundreds of millions in damages on the line. I have no idea if Google is using Design Patents on their products but can if they choose. https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/03/swipe-to-patent-design-patents-in-the-age-of-user-interfaces/ https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/03/swipe-to-patent-design-pat...
- kuschku 10y ago
  ProtonMail is in Switzerland. Neither in Switzerland nor in the EU, Design Patents exist.
  - nickpsecurity 10y ago
    Your first sentence was broader than that. Far as EU, they're called registered designs. I don't know much about them past that they exist. They're also in Hague Agreement of WIPO which Switzerland is a party to. Apple's attack on Samsung in Germany was about them copying the interface and style. Situation isn't as clear cut to me given the above. Even if nothing applied in Switzerland, the countries supporting such things might block their local presence there under grounds of violations. This risk actually is why some companies, esp Chinese, won't do business in the U.S.. If this played out, they'd be blocked from serving customers in U.S. or any nation that upholded the claim against them.

ryanmarsh 10y ago

Resembles OWA and just about every other email web app. I don't follow your logic here.

everfree 10y ago

That actually looks quite different from Gmail to me, with the exception of the pop-out compose window. If anything the two-column layout reminds me more of Apple's Mail app.

appleflaxen 10y ago

In the same way that google Sheets is a shameless ripoff of MS excel. You might not like it, but it is generally legal to create products that clone others. edit: spelling