Themeforest Needs Much Better Copyright Protection

Ok, some of you might have aready noticed; one of my themes just got ripped:

http://themeforest.net/item/portfolious-ultimately-extensive-wordpress-cms/47463

Ripper: http://themeforest.net/item/nicefolio-html-template/48975

The strange thing is, the ripper posted in forums it before he uploaded it. Had the response of stealing the theme from users, and yet it still gets approved.

This is the second time it happens to me on the marketplaces. First some prick rips my icon set and puts up on sale (even I didn’t prepare that for upload) and gets a good revenue out of it, until it’s banned. And then this.

I’m almost full of this and if this stolen theme sells a penny, I’m outta here, cleaning everything I have on the envato marketplaces.

You guys either work more on the reviewing process in terms of quality, originality and copyrights, or I know I won’t be the last one leaving because of the reasons above.

It’s pretty sad how things became with my time at TF. I always stood up for this place no matter what the issue is, but I can’t hold on any longer when it comes to seeing copyright infringement of my hard work.

PS: I already created a request on support 2 days ago but nothing yet.

Are you saying the code is stolen or the design?

The design. I don’t know the code since I didn’t buy that theme =) But it can bee seen on my theme that he bought it, obviously played with the psd (maybe the code too because he mentioned that he will post that as a wp theme too) and uploaded this crap. Even he admits it.

Yea I reported this file I believe a a day or two ago. I hope to see this file removed from ThemeForest and I really hope that he doesn’t make any money on this. Take a look at his portfolio and you’ll notice that all of his work represents something very similar here on TF. It makes me mad that someone would do this and it really disappoints me. I really wish (not only this guy) but everyone that does this, comes up with something original. And I hope we don’t see you go onuro, don’t worry I’m sure this will be take care of and I doubt it will sell any, just make sure everyone knows what he has done. Hopefully Envato will take care of this as I’m sure they will as soon as they can. Then when they do we’ll all win because you will keep making money on your designs, nobody will have to see you leave, this guy will hopefully have his items removed, and I get a little sheriff’s badge Good luck, and sorry to hear people doing this to you.

Thank you Alex. I hope you get that badge =)

Portfolious got ripped 2 more times besides on Themeforest but I didn’t care much since all they wanted to do was to copy everything and set up a site with that ripped html/css/images, and that’s something I’m fine with.

But this place is becoming an opportunity for that kind of people and someone has to stop it; and there’s a lot of work to do that, which I am not really hopeful about.

Well, the only part of the design that is similar is the layout concept which unless the concept was really really unique, I don’t think you can copyright. Other than the general layout concept, the design is completely different.

He admits it, what more do you require? He admits that he opened up that psd, changed the content and background, added 2-3 more layers but forgot the original icon designs I made on it. The users and I warned, he removed the icon today, but it still is a rip and everyone sees it Jarel.

I really can’t believe how you can say “the design is completely different”.

Well in onuro’s design, he has a little social bookmarking icon (can’t remember the name of it but that little pink and blue icon) and it was a custom vector that he made, but the exact same icon is used in this guys work as well. I took a screenshot of it and opened in in Photoshop and it is the exact same dimension right down to the pixel. The only thing different is a lighter opacity which is very easier to do in Photoshop. So yes, this is copyright. And the concept is pretty much the same as well. I think he saw that onuro made thousands of dollars on that theme so he bought it, changed around the PSD and then uploaded it. So yea in a way this should be considered copyright.

There is a line between STEALING and GETTING INSPIRED .

You know where I got Portfolious concept from? http://www.palm.com. Here. Do you guys find any strong similarities at the end result? NO! That is getting inspired, and the objects on this topic is STEALING .

You want to have another example? Read it: http://www.monofactor.com/inspire-to-the-end-stop-before-you-steal/

If the review process doesn’t cover the rights, this means this place only works for the $, nothing else.