It has been brought to my attention that Virtex-II, a customer of the ProStyle, has downloaded my style, changed it a little bit, and has rebranded it with his own copyright, and is reselling it as his own product. Commercially benefitting from my hard work. This upsets me a lot, as we are here for the community and have worked hard for years on keeping the prostyle up to date and as a great resource for those who like it. And it hasn't been created to be exploited like this, and it upsets me that he has sold it to people who didn't know any better. I've created screenshots of his web site where it is clear that it is the prostyle ripped and rebranded. The layout and the design and even the names of the child styles are the same. the "Hex" value of the .gif images with his prostyle license number are in the .gif files he is selling. I am not taking this lightly and I therefor want to express my opinion about that web site, their staff and especially Virtex-II who's prostyle license I have now revoked and banned from this web site. I thought he and I were friends. Turns out he is just a fucking asshole.
Quote: (Originally Posted by contact us to meetingpointevolution.com
)
Virtex-II,
I am Floris, the author and copyright holder of the style: vBulletin-Fans.com Professional Style Package 1.x for vBulletin 3.x. And hereby I notify you that you are in breach of my copyright on various points.
a) The license(s) you got from me are hereby revoked, you are no longer permitted to use it. Remove it from you web site.
b) You are revamping it (layout, design, package with even equal names and everything) and selling it as if it is your own. Stop using it immediately.
c) You are rebranding it. Without written permission you have removed the copyright and without owning the copyright you have branded it as if it is your work. Restore the copyright and stop distributing it as if it is your work immediately.
d) You are selling it (distributing) without authorization and written permission. As if it is your own work. Stop selling it immediately and inform your customers that they've purchased the prostyle and not yourstyle.
A solution will be to stop using my styles, stop branding it incorrectly, and stop distributing and selling it. And to inform your customers about the scam you pulled on them.
If this email is not replied to within reasonable time (within 5 working days) or the notification is ignored, and/or the issue is not resolved I will consider further legal steps, starting with a C&D notice and a court order for compensation for damages. To just name a few.
A copy of this email is mailed to my legal agent.
Wednesday; February 6, 2008 / 12:25 AM <-- timestamp of $date
Hope to hear from you soon, and I hope this issue can soon be resolved.
Your actions of commercially distributing my copyrighted work as a rebranded product has upset me greatly. And I will not let this go lightly.
Floris Fiedeldij Dop
mrfloris@gmail.com
vBulletin Fans Network
Copyright Holder : vBFans ProStyle Package |
I hope to hear from him soon, and I hope his web site will soon stop using my prostyle, and will no longer be selling the style. And I hope his customers realize what a fucking scammer he is.
Their customers who got scammed into paying for ripped style can send me a privmsg on this web site and will get a 'legal' license for free.
I make this web site, vbfans, for 'fans of vbulletin', and we are here as friends and as a team of people who like vbulletin and want to learn from customizing the forum, etc. I understand people pirate my style - that happens. But when someone who you consider to be a nice person, a premium member, and a customer, is just giving you a fake smile and exploiting everybody who likes vbulletin: That pisses me off. This is out of principle, and not for the money.
Virtex-II - Dont' bother to ask me with a legal notice to remove this thread, it is my personal opinion, and an announcement to inform my customers what's going on with the development of the prostyle. If you look bad in the process because you're such a dick for stealing and rebranding and reselling my style: tough luck.
