January 09th 2009 - Entry Posted to:
General
I recently discovered a user at http://flashden.net was using one of my files as a paid template, an older version of my FullBrowser Content file.
While I give most of my files away, I do stipulate that they are not used as the base for making money off of, by turning them into templates etc that are on sold multiple times. Generally this is a good faith agreement, between myself and whoever uses my files. I have received alot of help from various blogs and forums with learning ActionScript, and this blog is a means to return some of that help.
What was and is most frustrating about this experience, has been my dealings with Flash Den, and the user who ‘borrowed’ my file. It was pretty clear cut to me, that this user had stolen my source. I mean, I decompiled his preview and had a look at it to see.
Seems that FlashDen were just taking their time, and have since removed this offenders and another’s from the site. So, well done to them.
Check out this for similarities:
His file contains these constants;
public static const BG_LOADING:String = "newslideloading";
public static const UNLOAD_BG:String = "unloadbg";
public static const BG_LOADED:String = "newslideloaded";
My file contains these constants:
public static const BG_LOADED:String = "newslideloaded";
public static const BG_LOADING:String = "newslideloading";
public static const UNLOAD_BG:String = "unloadbg";
His has these vars (just some of them)
private var YminStageSize:int;
private var useMinStageSize:Boolean;
private var XminStageSize:int;
private var imageScaleProp:Number;
Mine has these vars (again, just some of them)
private var useMinStageSize:Boolean;//use a minimum stage size?
private var XminStageSize:int;
private var YminStageSize:int;
private var imageScaleProp:Number;
You get the idea. Not only were the constants, vars the same, but the method names were the same, along with the functionality of each method.?Ǭ†The only change was the shift from tweenLite to tweener for some animation, and the removal of all the garbage collection methods and event handling. The guy was so crap, that he left the constants in there, not understanding that they were for custom event dispatches, but deleted the custom event handling. The user was adamant that he didn’t use my file, when clearly he had. After a few emails, he decided to delete ‘my’ file once he realised he had been caught out.
I decided to report him to FlashDen, and provided the FlashDen staff with my source files, and a link to his. Their response was that no copyright infringement occurred, and that the user probably just deleted his file to “make some modifications”. I couldn’t believe it, I mean, clearly his file is totally based off of mine. This user is still happily uploading new files.
So, in the end, its worked out OK. FlashDen took their time, which I guess is OK. As they investigate any issues, rather than issuing instant take down notices if someone thinks something is copyright.
On another forum, some other user posted class files from the Martha Mclean website I wrote, trying to get help with the mess the decompiler made of it all. I recognised the code instantly and questioned where it came from. What an idiot. If the dude actually just tried to learn how to do it, then he would be set, its not even that hard..
