On "copying" layouts

[Exis]

I have been having some trouble trying to find the right layout for a particular peice of a site i am currently working on. I ran across a layout that would work perfect for the occasion, but I am warry about copying the original designers ideas. Should i have moral qualms about doing this? I would not steal his/her content or code, but I would use the general idea and tweak it a little to include it on my site. I know that art is mostly taking someone elses ideas and adding your own spin on to it most of the time, so is that rational a qualifier for feeling ok about borrowing a layout idea? What is right and what is wrong in cases like this?

[JamieR]

I'm not really sure about that....as long as you didn't actually nick their code and images, then i would think that there wouldnt be a problem as all you got from their design was some inspiration.

~Jamie.

[viz]

...I know that art is mostly taking someone elses ideas and adding your own spin on to it most of the time...Pretty cheap definition of art, IMO.

...I would not steal his/her content or code, but I would use the general idea and tweak it a little to include it on my site....Given your definition of art, you're probably really cheating yourself that way. Better to use the idea as inspiration, as weazel suggests. :cool:

[harbingerOTV]

I think there is a reasonable grey area in web related stuff. If it' just a basic layout then no harm probally done. At least you could do is give credit to those you "borrowed" from in your source code. Just don't take it to far and end uphere. (http://www.pirated-sites.com/)

Even the best borrow.

[evo]

Taking it without their permission would be downright theft of their intellectual property.

It would harm them, and if it were me, it would most certainly get me to force you to remove my artwork, either through telling you and your host or having my lawyers tell you and your host.

[JamieR]

Evo, if someone gets their lawyers to take down their material of someone elses host, what do the lawyers do? do they give a official warning to take any offending stuff down or do they just start legal proceedings?

[evo]

They would first issue a written warning to whoever may be liable and if that fails, they would then proceed through court.

[JamieR]

O right...I was asking because of the legal implications if anyone ever nicked my aircraft photos from my site :cool:

[Exis]

Pretty cheap definition of art, IMO.

Given your definition of art, you're probably really cheating yourself that way. Better to use the idea as inspiration, as weazel suggests. :cool:

It is a pretty pesemistic view of what art is, but its true. Think of what exactly inspiration is: It is seeing one thing and making something based on that item, object, subject, etc. For most people, especially with layouts and styles and such, they take one form of art, put thier own spin on it by changing a few elements or so, and it is considered a new artwork.

Maybe i need to make my question more clear. Where is your line between piracy and inspiration? Is this line different when the topic is a layout design? Why or why not? Just trying to find the general publics view on things.

[viz]

It is a pretty pesemistic view of what art is, but its true. Think of what exactly inspiration is: It is seeing one thing and making something based on that item, object, subject, etc. For most people, especially with layouts and styles and such, they take one form of art, put thier own spin on it by changing a few elements or so, and it is considered a new artwork....Have to disagree -- maybe some people would call that inspiration, but unfortunately they're really talking about theft, piracy, imitation, etc.

Also, from the way you talk, it sounds that you've never really experienced much in the way of inspiration when you've been in contact with other people's art, which is sad, and also one reason why I said in my post above that you've really cheated yourself. :(

...Maybe i need to make my question more clear. Where is your line between piracy and inspiration? Is this line different when the topic is a layout design? Why or why not? Just trying to find the general publics view on things.If you need a line drawn then you're probably treading in dangerous territory already. Did you check out the site (http://www.pirated-sites.com/) that harbingerOTV linked above? Might be a good place to start to get a feeling for things like that.