Downloading other peoples websites

[Jacobb123]

I have seen a web page that I really like the layout of a certain page. I was wondering if it is ethical to download the page and tweak the colors and some other things to use for my own site. If it is unethical I won't do it. If it is ok then I would like to know how to do it. So one please let me know.

[ronaldb66]

While it is generally frowned upon to copy someone else's design with little or no changes for your own use, passing it off as your own is regarded as blatant theft and may result in legal actions by the original owner.

If you would like to use certain aspects or elements, the best way would be to ask to owner of that site if he/she objects to you doing so.

If you want to learn how a specific effect is achieved, for instance using CSS, simply right-click and view source for a "peek under the hood"; that's general practice in web land and can hardly be objected to.

At any rate: is you are going to reuse someone's design elements (with the designer's approval!), don't pass it off as your own but acknowledge the original designer, either visibly on the site (for instance in the footer) or at least in comments in the source or style sheet.

[mlseim]

Jacob ...

Email them and ask about using some of their design.
Most webmasters would actually be a bit flattered by that.
As long as there's no conflict of interest, I don't see why they
would object, but always ask first.

[Lallo]

Jacob ...

Email them and ask about using some of their design.
Most webmasters would actually be a bit flattered by that.
As long as there's no conflict of interest, I don't see why they
would object, but always ask first.


YOU CAN USE UP TO 30% OF THE CONTENTS WITHOUT ASKING! BUT FOR MORE, CONTACT THEM!!

[croatiankid]

Yeah ask them if they'd let you use their layout, if at the footer you'd put something like "designed by {link to their site}"

[oracleguy]

YOU CAN USE UP TO 30% OF THE CONTENTS WITHOUT ASKING! BUT FOR MORE, CONTACT THEM!!

Where'd you get 30%? And please do not write in all caps in the future.

[Graft-Creative]

Where'd you get 30%?

From (somewhat distant college memory) I think 30% is the maximum amount you can cite anothers work. However, the emphasis is on citation, with the obligatory acknowledgments, either in context or in a bibliography.

How far the 30% rule covers visual design/intellectual property, I'm not in a position to say.

Art and Spoof are obvious examples of how copyright rules can be bent.

Taking someone elses idea and making it your own is a long way from directly lifting someones work with a minimum of alterations tough.

As an example, I came accross this recently:

Compare:

http://summer.tnvacation.com/

with:

http://olshtyn.com/ (scroll down to the zafriko.pl entry)

An obvious case of plagarism.

Every designer begs, borrows or steals, from some source or other - in fact I would say it's the designer's duty to do so! Show me a designer who doesn't, and I'll show you a liar ;)

Just beware of the fine line between 'influence' and outright plagarism.

Kind regards,

Gary