The nerve

EDIT; I got a reply, and an apology. She has explained she hadn’t actually been paid for any designs to date, and was only starting to charge for work - none of which she says involved anything in part or in full, of mine. I’ve accepted her apology. Unless something arises in the future, that previous entry will remain private.

People, do yourself a favor. If you download any of the themes I’ve made available.. don’t turn around and alter the colors and sell them. No, no.

I have no problem with ANYONE wanting to alter the free themes I’ve made available. I’ve never, ever had a problem with that. I rarely ever even cause a stink if my credit gets removed, so long as the person using it isn’t claiming my work.

It’s seriously WRONG to take credit for someone else’s work. SERIOUSLY wrong. But not only to take credit for it.. but to then turn around and charge someone for a template you had little to do with.

What am I saying?

I found a blog tonight, using my “Love Bugs” theme. The only changes were the colors and a portion of the header. According to the “designers” (and I’ll use that lightly at this point) design site, she charges folks for templates (blogger and wordpress).

I will get to the bottom of this.. and if I’m not happy with the reply to the email I sent, I will push forward.

I don’t care if you change the colors.. I don’t care if you change the header.. I don’t care if you rearrange the theme entirely to make it more unique, and more “you.” I don’t mind those things at all, like I said..

It’s one thing to remove a credit, it’s a totally different thing to actually get paid for something I made.


15 Comments so far
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  • Dude. I LOVE your themes just because they ARE easy to modify and personalize. But unless and until I have modified the theme to the point that it is drastically different from your original, I wouldn’t even think of removing your credit!

    I am so irritated by those “designers” who sell their “skills” at modifying someone else’s theme. To me it’s just a sign of laziness - if you know enough to to slightly modify the theme, then you should be able to stick with it and learn how to code an entire theme. If I’m paying someone to create a theme for my website, I want to hire someone who is the BEST in their field - not someone who is trying to make money the “easy” way.

    1   Comment by Melinda on May 29, 2008 at 10:21 pm


  • grr! You go and get them! Good luck!

    Fiona’s last blog post..Drained

    2   Comment by Fiona on May 29, 2008 at 10:49 pm


  • Oh the nerve of some idiots! How dare people THINK they have the right to do that…

    sorry to hear this happened to you, and I hope this and the email makes some changes right quick!

    Lori’s last blog post..SALE ON NOW!!

    3   Comment by Lori on May 29, 2008 at 11:39 pm


  • Wow! I hope you get the response you’re looking for from the email.

    If not, well, we can certainly make their douchebaggery public!

    Ally’s last blog post..Cities In Dust

    4   Comment by Ally on May 30, 2008 at 10:39 am


  • I was about to respond on the other post but I’ll do it here now instead:

    What a rip off she is! And a fake! And $80!? Who would PAY THAT for that pixelated background?! Her site seems to be down with a database error right now.

    I’m going to do two things a bit later though once it’s back up:

    1) Put my PR4 and awesome SEO skills to good use and blog about what she’s done to you to warn people about her.
    2) @twitter her to stop stealing people’s hard work

    Anna’s last blog post..Out of Office

    5   Comment by Anna on May 30, 2008 at 1:58 pm


  • I would have been SO mad! Ya know, I was using one of your themes once and someone left me a comment saying “I should credit” and then the whastiscopyright link, when I hadn’t even removed the credit link on the bottom. I was like okay…

    6   Comment by Crystal on May 30, 2008 at 2:44 pm


  • They probably didn’t think you’d find them. It’s a good thing you did!

    Kim @ What’s That Smell?’s last blog post..“Army Wives” on Lifetime Television

    7   Comment by Kim @ What's That Smell? on May 30, 2008 at 2:45 pm


  • i use your themes all the time, but i always leave your credit somewhere on my website. the nerve of the person who did that to you.

    jess’s last blog post..Don’t Mind Me

    8   Comment by jess on May 30, 2008 at 3:59 pm


  • Hello

    your wordpress themes are really really nice! thanks so much for them!

    Btw, your stripped flower theme, it doesn’t comes with sidebar. Do u know how i can make it widget-aware? Because i have read on it, but still cant figure out how to really do it.

    Cheers
    Brad

    ladyironchef’s last blog post..Of dumpling and birthday

    9   Comment by ladyironchef on May 30, 2008 at 8:38 pm


  • I love your themes too and check your blog constantly, even if I don’t always have time to comment. I’m using an altered version of the written them now and have kept the link at the bottom. It’s only the right thing to do.

    But to take one of your themes and sell it… awful!

    Karah’s last blog post..The Time of My Life

    10   Comment by Karah on May 30, 2008 at 9:59 pm


  • Yeah…would make me mad too! I came here to letcha know I just got my new template that I used from you up…gave you credit too! *snort* (patting self on back)

    Seriously though, for dunces like me???? We appreciate you smart folk and your hard work and talent to make us look nice online! Specially us POOR dunces…

    monileigh’s last blog post..Hubbuh Bubbuh

    11   Comment by monileigh on May 31, 2008 at 10:38 am


  • I’m glad the person got in contact with you but this should’ve never happened! What’s wrong with people?!

    B’s last blog post..June Already?

    12   Comment by B on May 31, 2008 at 3:03 pm


  • I love your templates (I’m using one now) and it’s rude of someone to use your template and not give credit where credit is due. :)

    13   Comment by Divalicious on May 31, 2008 at 7:59 pm


  • I’ve always been a strong believer that if someone goes through the trouble of designing a theme for public use, the least the public could do was not take down the link. For this person to slightly alter them and sell them is dead wrong. I’m pissed off like it was done to me. Anywho, I love your designs. I’m using one of them now.

    Reenuh’s last blog post..The video of the girl acting a fool on a train

    14   Comment by Reenuh on May 31, 2008 at 10:08 pm


  • Hi! First of all I just found you last week and I adore your themes. I think your work is amazing and to give them to people for free..well that’s just so sweet of you. Thank you. All you’ve asked is to leave the credit in place which in my opinion is not asking much. To give credit to the designer. I’m so glad I found your place and know I love your themes and I’d never make any changes (even if I knew how..hehe) I just think it’s nice of you to help those of us who don’t know how to design our own so again Thank YOU :)
    Dawn’s last blog post..password

    15   Comment by Dawn on June 3, 2008 at 8:56 am




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