It's pretty sad though that it has to take so long when it's so obvious that he clearly has no respect/understanding for copyrights or even permission to use the graphics. Devart has been around long enough to be able to at least see when given the links to original and stolen. This shouldn't even a debate.

I agree that it might have been a bit much on our part. Addressing the issue to him is fine as long as we maintain a degree of dignity and respect ourselves by not lowering ourselves to name calling even though he deserves...we just need to be better than he is...which really isn't a stretch. The problem now is that we apparently got this vigilante person in on it and he might be looked at as though he is part of our community. I posted a few comments there but when I saw that this guy was not going to do the right things and clearly felt he was in the right I saw it was pointless talking to a wall.

And I also agree that if Devart is so blind as to not see the obvious rip of John's work or lack of permission to use his graphics...that is a clear indication they have no respect whatsoever for copyrights or intellectual rights...and anyone posting anything there would be wise to remove it and declare why very clearly to them. This is one reason why I have not spread myself out by posting at many sites...it's much easier to protect things that way. Not that they aren't open for theft or anything else...but at least you know where they came from.

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nofx19940 ....welcome, and thanks for your input.

Unfortunately when people's IP rights are violated they will tend to get a wee bit uptight, indignant and vocal.

It's NOT appropriate that others' reputations are tarnished by association [as may be your case], nor is it appropriate that a person who has himself admitted to copyright theft simply label all who call him out on the issue a bunch of 'fuckers'.

MrGRiM01 has admitted to copying another person's work [one which itself is a commercial skin] and subsequently posting HIS 'version' for sale.

That is called 'IP theft', nothing more, nothing less.

It is IDENTICAL to the Asian 'knock-offs' of Nike shoes or the Rolex watches with the 'missing' internals.

thank you for the welcome and yes i understand completely It has happened myself and i  know what it i feels like. All i am asking is can we take it out of the public eyes its unfair for everyone else on deviant to see all that. 

thanks

Hm, I have reported about 6 rips this year I noticed and it took each of them longest 2 days before they where gone. But those where very clear cases. This one is about theft of an idea, maybe that's what takes them so long.

And they will not delete a screenshot (like the mockup  he posted), as there is no need to do so. One thing I have learned from the Jark incident and others : It gets You nowhere if You delete everything... In my case I am sorry I have done that as it is part of my history that is gone now at da. I've had the finger on the trigger here also at times, but no.

And sorry people, I understand Your motives, but this is becoming a witchhunt by a furios mob already. Let Jafo deal with it.

I agree about the 'public eye' and am thus corresponding with the appropriate people at Devart privately.

This is not the first issue of its type, not by any means.  A 'famous' one revolved around another 'style skinner on Devart, but in that case Microsoft got involved directly.

It won't be the last, either, as ignorance and arrogance is rife.

It is probably quite important to be aware that most skinner members of Wincustomize.com are also members of Deviantart.com, and some predate BOTH sites' inception....

The best thing people from WC can do is lead by example.

Continually making posts to someone who is incapable of understanding is a waste of time and won't necessarily paint you in the best light.

Let the powers that be handle the situation

I can put this issue in one tidy little nutshell...

To any person whose works are being taken by MrGRiM01 and reposted on Devart [re-authored or otherwise] you will NEED to serve both him and Devart with a formal DMCA notice.  That is LIKELY to mean ONLY Devart, as most affected people are blocked from his page/site.

https://forums.wincustomize.com/370505 

Link to DMCA notice to use.

That's about it at the moment.....I'm sure there's other things I can be doing....

and, remember when one of our own went through something similiar not long ago. those who accussed simply stated the facts are were very patient with us. no reason to beat drums.

Thanks everyone.

I understand the "public eye" thing too, but some people can't be dealt with any other way. For example, when I went to his site and PMd him asking that my work be removed, I got banned from his site. Now how do you deal privately with someone who won't deal privately?

Jim makes a good point.

Try this to help prove theft in the future.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/TSR_Watermark_Image_d6528.html

Nuclear weapons. Start with 'Tacticals'. Leave the 'planet crackers' for last.

Or send 'em a bag full of starkers best starkerbarkers. That'll make him sit up and take notice in a hurry.

Because it's NOT DA and no one is calling out a member here that the admins would have to step in. (?)

I, for one, belive almost any situation can be resolved and/or an understanding can be reached. (My work takes me into GA all the time and I haven't left one flaming bag of dogsh*t on Skinhits doorstep)

I think the guy, with all his obvious ability, doesn't have an 'original' thought to build on or he doesn't know how. In the meantime, I have an assload of original blinds and no way to finish them. Maybe I will drop him a line. I dunno.

I just don't get why he doesn't see what the real issue here is and why it's wrong. I like to think a true 'thief' would remove the work with no issues once caught. So I am thinking the guy really doesn't see that he did something wrong and pride is preventing him from admitting to it. I could be wrong. I went through this with a Chinese guy who ported one of my IconPackages for i-phone. We ended up becoming emial-pals for a few months and then I lost track of him after the big earthquake in Chine a while back.

Sorry. Just rambling out loud. I'm bored outta my skull in a hotel for the fifth week in a row.

Possible....

.....or, it may be the 2.95 per sale he is getting delivered to his bank acct.

See my response 267, Po.

I believe he knows what he did was wrong. He's not stupid, only crooked. Therefore,

Is absolutely correct. He's an obnoxious, profane, loudmouthed, egregious thief.

You want to business with him? Why? Didn't I see skinners here offering to help you finish skins?

Please help me understand.