that looks really cool and you then desing your site VERY similar to it? My friend is doing this and the site he is designing looks similar to a site already on the internet. Although he is making his own company and what he is doing has nothing to do with the website that already exists is it in any way illegal?
2006-09-02 16:57:58 · 8 answers · asked by stewcat123 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet
It's OK to be inspired by design elements, and it's OK to be influenced by what you see around you. But "Swiping" a whole website is considered copyright infringement, in general.
Now, if you design something yourself, and it happens to look very similar to something else, it can be coincidence. After all, a website layout is simply a format with certain predetermined elements: header, menu, buttons, body, footer. The font choice is extremely limited. So it's very likely that several people can each design a website that looks very similar to the other.
I'd say don't worry too much, since you said it looks VERY similar. If it's honestly not THE SAME, then your friend will have to explain that if anyone asks.
2006-09-02 17:20:20 · answer #1 · answered by SandFlyer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what you are using from the other site, and what service you are providing.
If you are using copywrited material from the other site, like a logo or custom picture, you could run into trouble if they decided to pursue the issue. However, as you have stated, this is not really the case, so it most likely will not be a problem
2006-09-02 17:09:02 · answer #2 · answered by rocketman33 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can design it like the other site, useing it as a template, you just can't use trademarks and stuff from the other site. If he uses any info from the other site he needs to cite it.
2006-09-02 17:08:03 · answer #3 · answered by dawn_ch_believes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lots of copy-cat things exist. Consider pop music. It is lots of sampling of allready recorded and copywrited sounds. How people get away with not being origional and make lots of money is the crime, which w'll never know why will we?
2006-09-02 17:11:00 · answer #4 · answered by palon1957 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just to be safe, I'd have him link and credit the other site cuz if they have it trademarked or copyrighted .. he probably could be, but then again, this lovely world wide web is huge and they might never know ..
2006-09-02 17:03:36 · answer #5 · answered by Hollyhocks 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not at all illegal... just dont copy what is trade marked like the company's logo and images and so on... okay... all the best.
2006-09-02 17:13:28 · answer #6 · answered by Sunny Leo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
now how could that be illegal
2006-09-02 17:03:13 · answer #7 · answered by goodstuff28602 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it doesnt sound illegal to me.
2006-09-04 09:26:10 · answer #8 · answered by .:♥ Fire Within♥ :. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋