8 ms·

For the lazy, here's a summary of the claims that LV/DN is making: Some icons appear to be heavily inspired by LV. Here are three icons (circled) from Flat-UI

by ender7 14y ago

For the lazy, here's a summary of the claims that LV/DN is making: Some icons appear to be heavily inspired by LV. Here are three icons (circled) from Flat-UI: http://i.imgur.com/xDDULcG.png http://i.imgur.com/xDDULcG.png You can see that the gears and news icons do bear some similarity to LV's versions: http://dribbble.com/shots/800428-LayerVault-icon-set-for-delivery http://dribbble.com/shots/800428-LayerVault-icon-set-for-del... and http://imgur.com/rli5IVU http://imgur.com/rli5IVU (the latter via http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5332741 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5332741) In addition, LV claims that Flat-UI ripped off a number of other icons from dribble.com, such as this clock and map (Flat-UI above, originals below): http://cl.ly/image/3Q181w0b1u2K http://cl.ly/image/3Q181w0b1u2K (original dribble links: http://dribbble.com/shots/695458-Nasa-Playbook-Icons http://dribbble.com/shots/695458-Nasa-Playbook-Icons and http://dribbble.com/shots/877061-Map-2013 http://dribbble.com/shots/877061-Map-2013). Finally, the color schemes have been claimed to be identical: http://pixxel.co/feed/layervault-issues-dmca-takedown http://pixxel.co/feed/layervault-issues-dmca-takedown LV appears to be confused as to what constitutes copyright infringement. None of these icons are actually copies of the original, and even if they were LV would not have a right to issue a DMCA takedown for the ones they didn't own. This seems to be a massive PR blunder for the LV guys. They could have put up a blog post enumerating how many of their (and others') designs were ripped off (which is not the same thing as copyright infringement) and probably garnered some internet sympathy. Now, by misusing the much-hated DMCA takedown notice they've positioned themselves in the same camp with all the DMCA bullies we have grown to loathe.

vicbrooker 14y ago
Colour schemes are irrelevant to the DCMA as they can't be copyrighted, though they can be trademarked in some circumstances. Either way there isn't a relevant infringement. Hope it wasn't the basis for the DMCA takedown...
ebbv 14y ago
Bears a resemblance is not enough for DMCA. LV was stupid to file a DMCA on this. It was clearly a scare tactic and all it did was make them look like petulant children. If Flat UI had really stolen assets, that would be one thing. But aping a design isn't the same thing as stealing. See also: Apple v. Samsung.
- deizel 14y ago
  s/Fluid/Flat
SmeelBe 14y ago
"In addition, the color schemes have been claimed to be identical: http://pixxel.co/feed/layervault-issues-dmca-takedown http://pixxel.co/feed/layervault-issues-dmca-takedown Flat UI has more than 20 colors. LV just 7?...
SmeelBe 14y ago
Google and Pantone - http://cl.ly/NO8C http://cl.ly/NO8C
- mnicole 14y ago
  Yup, Google's really no different. Had to do one myself just to check -- http://i.imgur.com/qJXJUaH.png http://i.imgur.com/qJXJUaH.png
  - vicbrooker 14y ago
    Does this mean I'm not allowed to use Google any more because they're using that colour palette on something that's free...?
- juiceandjuice 14y ago
  Josef Müller-Brockmann (from the 60s): http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2716/4415331726_e98dd8f7c1.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2716/4415331726_e98dd8f7c1.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2790/4414564409_974b828fbc.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2790/4414564409_974b828fbc.jpg
onemorepassword 14y ago
That looks pretty much open and shut, as if using a vague DMCA in itself wasn't already enough of a hint. It's not even a rip-off. The basic pattern for the icons is insanely generic, and the execution is clearly different. The color scheme is a very common one. It bears a resemblance as much as one black leather shoe bears a resemblance to another black leather shoe. It's not even worth making a passing remark about, let alone going nuclear with a DMCA. LayerVault are copyright trolls and bullies.
- lucisferre 14y ago
  Give me a break. One single misguided DMCA notice does not make one a copyright troll.
  - electic 14y ago
    Sure it does. They misused it and it is highly likely they will file another notice for another Flat UI design that in the future, for whatever reason they think, look similar to their design.
    - lucisferre 14y ago
      > it is highly likely they will file another notice for another Flat UI design that in the future Or, alternatively, they might realize what a mistake taking this approach was and never do it again. That's what I think is "highly likely" here.
      - pifflesnort 14y ago
        I think trolling once still makes you a troll. It takes a certain sense of naive entitlement to issue a DMCA take-down notice without understanding the legal requirements or the very specific meaning of doing so.
        lowboy 14y ago
        I sang in a choir in grade 5 once. Would you consider me a singer?
bkirch 14y ago
1) "GOOD ARTISTS COPY, GREAT ARTISTS STEAL"- Picasso -Most often done by... Jonathan Ive See examples here... http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/site_furniture/2008/01/16/BraunVsApple460.jpg http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/site_furnitur... 2) Has anyone visited LayerVault's site? Does anyone think that they invented all of the styling, color schemes, magnifying effects, icon styling out of thin air? Anyone seen google do something similar? (looks waaaaay better than LV old site BTW) 3) If you wanted to shame someone, the best way to do so would have been a blog post... See OXO v.s. Quirky http://goo.gl/Zccse http://goo.gl/Zccse 4) It's impossible for an idea to be truly unique/novel. They are always tangents/leaps based on a previous discoveries or insight.
- sharedliberty 14y ago
  Picasso never said that. Jobs misquoted. But the real quote from T.S. Eliot is better: “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole of feeling which is unique, utterly different than that from which it is torn.”
kysol 14y ago
> This seems to be a massive PR blunder for the LV guys. They could have put up a blog post enumerating how many of their (and others') designs were ripped off (which is not the same thing as copyright infringement) and probably garnered some internet sympathy. Now, by misusing the much-hated DMCA takedown notice they've positioned themselves in the same camp with all the DMCA bullies we have grown to loathe. Maybe I've had my head in the sand for far too long, but I had never heard of LayerVault until today, and I know them now for all the wrong reasons. I find it somewhat silly that no matter what trend you follow, someone will always be there, waiting to pounce. This isn't the mid 2000's, "First" posts were childish back then, and "First" claims are the same now. ...and seriously at the colour schemes. The flat colour trend is basically the same as a new art movement (it's only pastel colours made more vibrant). I predict that with the current trend being Real -> Flat, the next phase will be a new form of Pointillism. If we really wanted to be picky, you could draw comparisons between the way that LV do human faces (see bottom of the Tour page) and the old Mac OS logo.
SmeelBe 14y ago
Designmodo announced Flat UI Free v.1.1 is public Now! Download updated version - http://designmodo.com/flat-free/ http://designmodo.com/flat-free/ PSD & HTML (Twitter Bootstrap based)!

by ender7 14y ago

vicbrooker 14y ago

Colour schemes are irrelevant to the DCMA as they can't be copyrighted, though they can be trademarked in some circumstances. Either way there isn't a relevant infringement. Hope it wasn't the basis for the DMCA takedown...

ebbv 14y ago

Bears a resemblance is not enough for DMCA. LV was stupid to file a DMCA on this. It was clearly a scare tactic and all it did was make them look like petulant children. If Flat UI had really stolen assets, that would be one thing. But aping a design isn't the same thing as stealing. See also: Apple v. Samsung.

deizel 14y ago
s/Fluid/Flat

SmeelBe 14y ago

"In addition, the color schemes have been claimed to be identical: http://pixxel.co/feed/layervault-issues-dmca-takedown http://pixxel.co/feed/layervault-issues-dmca-takedown Flat UI has more than 20 colors. LV just 7?...

SmeelBe 14y ago

Google and Pantone - http://cl.ly/NO8C http://cl.ly/NO8C

mnicole 14y ago
Yup, Google's really no different. Had to do one myself just to check -- http://i.imgur.com/qJXJUaH.png http://i.imgur.com/qJXJUaH.png
- vicbrooker 14y ago
  Does this mean I'm not allowed to use Google any more because they're using that colour palette on something that's free...?
juiceandjuice 14y ago
Josef Müller-Brockmann (from the 60s): http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2716/4415331726_e98dd8f7c1.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2716/4415331726_e98dd8f7c1.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2790/4414564409_974b828fbc.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2790/4414564409_974b828fbc.jpg

onemorepassword 14y ago

That looks pretty much open and shut, as if using a vague DMCA in itself wasn't already enough of a hint. It's not even a rip-off. The basic pattern for the icons is insanely generic, and the execution is clearly different. The color scheme is a very common one. It bears a resemblance as much as one black leather shoe bears a resemblance to another black leather shoe. It's not even worth making a passing remark about, let alone going nuclear with a DMCA. LayerVault are copyright trolls and bullies.

lucisferre 14y ago
Give me a break. One single misguided DMCA notice does not make one a copyright troll.
- electic 14y ago
  Sure it does. They misused it and it is highly likely they will file another notice for another Flat UI design that in the future, for whatever reason they think, look similar to their design.
  - lucisferre 14y ago
    > it is highly likely they will file another notice for another Flat UI design that in the future Or, alternatively, they might realize what a mistake taking this approach was and never do it again. That's what I think is "highly likely" here.
    - pifflesnort 14y ago
      I think trolling once still makes you a troll. It takes a certain sense of naive entitlement to issue a DMCA take-down notice without understanding the legal requirements or the very specific meaning of doing so.
      - lowboy 14y ago
        I sang in a choir in grade 5 once. Would you consider me a singer?

bkirch 14y ago

1) "GOOD ARTISTS COPY, GREAT ARTISTS STEAL"- Picasso -Most often done by... Jonathan Ive See examples here... http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/site_furniture/2008/01/16/BraunVsApple460.jpg http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/site_furnitur... 2) Has anyone visited LayerVault's site? Does anyone think that they invented all of the styling, color schemes, magnifying effects, icon styling out of thin air? Anyone seen google do something similar? (looks waaaaay better than LV old site BTW) 3) If you wanted to shame someone, the best way to do so would have been a blog post... See OXO v.s. Quirky http://goo.gl/Zccse http://goo.gl/Zccse 4) It's impossible for an idea to be truly unique/novel. They are always tangents/leaps based on a previous discoveries or insight.

sharedliberty 14y ago
Picasso never said that. Jobs misquoted. But the real quote from T.S. Eliot is better: “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole of feeling which is unique, utterly different than that from which it is torn.”

kysol 14y ago

> This seems to be a massive PR blunder for the LV guys. They could have put up a blog post enumerating how many of their (and others') designs were ripped off (which is not the same thing as copyright infringement) and probably garnered some internet sympathy. Now, by misusing the much-hated DMCA takedown notice they've positioned themselves in the same camp with all the DMCA bullies we have grown to loathe. Maybe I've had my head in the sand for far too long, but I had never heard of LayerVault until today, and I know them now for all the wrong reasons. I find it somewhat silly that no matter what trend you follow, someone will always be there, waiting to pounce. This isn't the mid 2000's, "First" posts were childish back then, and "First" claims are the same now. ...and seriously at the colour schemes. The flat colour trend is basically the same as a new art movement (it's only pastel colours made more vibrant). I predict that with the current trend being Real -> Flat, the next phase will be a new form of Pointillism. If we really wanted to be picky, you could draw comparisons between the way that LV do human faces (see bottom of the Tour page) and the old Mac OS logo.

SmeelBe 14y ago

Designmodo announced Flat UI Free v.1.1 is public Now! Download updated version - http://designmodo.com/flat-free/ http://designmodo.com/flat-free/ PSD & HTML (Twitter Bootstrap based)!