3 ms·

Why would they need permission?

• prawn 15y ago
  Because they've blatantly copied someone's design? It's not like a new car company starts with someone else's body shape until they can design their own car or copies their TV ad for a few months. I can appreciate that Square might've OKed this or look kindly on a temporary copy from a startup, but for about the same level of effort they could've differentiated their site a fair bit more (even just a different hue for the background).
  • almightygod 15y ago
    why does it matter, the typical consumer wont care. The square design has been successful for them, why not piggyback on that success
    • prawn 15y ago
      Because, without permission, it's not the right thing to do, and the right thing to do need not be expensive? I'm not sure if I'm missing something here - looking at code/designs and tweaking them to learn is one thing, but is basing a funded company on something so blatant now considered OK? I'd like to know if this is the thought pattern for people who are designers or programmers. Is Square within the YC stable, is that it? Should I be doing this with my side projects, to piggyback on that success? (Keep in mind that I'm assuming in this case that they don't have permission.)
      • almightygod 15y ago
        but THEY have permission...clearly lifting another companies design w/out permission is illegal and should be frowned upon
        • prawn 15y ago
          The whole branch of this comment thread was based on: "Why would they need permission?" That's what I've been replying to.
  • philwelch 15y ago
    It's not like a new car company starts with someone else's body shape until they can design their own car... The Tesla Roadster, IIRC, uses a Lotus body. But they actually licensed it from Lotus.
• tptacek 15y ago
  Because ripping off web designs in whole or in part is copyright infringement, and if they really didn't get permission they're a takedown notice away from losing one of their most important assets.
  • yid 15y ago
    My understanding is that media and copy may be subject to copyright, but not layouts of websites. I don't think copying a wireframe CSS design or page navigation mechanics or general theme is legally copyright infringement (I could be wrong).
    • nostromo 15y ago
      It depends on how unique the copied is and how similar the copier is. From a decision about magazine covers: "None of the individual elements [...] ordinary lines, typefaces, and colors — qualifies for copyright protection. But the distinctive arrangement and layout of those elements is entitled to protection as a graphic work." http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3745368693852483793&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3745368693852483...