Design Rip

[Icheb]

The creator of www.halliwell-house.de clearly TOTALLY ripped our design (www.charmed-forum.de). He is already banned at our forum for forum abuse, so he is not that responsive when it comes down to discussing this issue with him.
What can I do? His webhost is located in Germany, are they in some sort obligated to take actions in this case?
Or is the only thing i can do to just make it public in his forum so that his members get aware of this?

[orca]

I think the best way is to contact him first, then the host. May you read the AUP and the TOS of that host and look for a contact adress for abuses.

[phill2003]

i've only looked at the front page but it looks totaly different to me... the only thing the same is the colours and you cant copyright them....

the header image is different the buttons are different and the on off buttons are different....

what do you want to happen, do you want him to change his colours??? cos i doubt that he will......

[orca]

I think the layout of the tables is the same although the other one uses a fixed width.

[version2]

I think the layout of the tables is the same although the other one uses a fixed width.

Yah, but only the graphic design can be 'coprighted'. The table structure and colors are the only noticeable similarities.

Sorry, Ich. That sucks man...but there is probably nothing you ca do.

[Icheb]

Set aside the buttons and graphics, they had one or two ideas but the rest IS copied. Forumhome, postbit, almost everything.
And as stated, he isn't very responsive since he's banned at our forum due to abuse.

I think I'll just politely make his other members aware of this and that's it. Thank you for your help guys.

[DirectPixel]

Personally, I don't think that's something to worry about.

It's not like they copied your forum's unique look -- all they did was change vBulletin's default colors, which is something that anyone can do.

If they completely copied your unique design, from header to footer, with the same images, same wording, and same colors, than that's something to worry about.

[okrogius]

You really don't have a design to be ripped in the first place. Having everything black with a blue border is NOT a design.

You can't copyright a color.

Everything that IS the design (per se) you have, such as buttons, logo, are in fact not copied.

[phill2003]

for it to be a rip you need to have something you either bought or made yourself on his website....the tables and colours dont count........upsetting though it is it is not copyright infringment to have the same looking board just damn annoying......so unless he has some of your graphics on his site there really isnt much you can do.........

[Beramode]

You should be flattered - he likes your design.

[Icheb]

Forgive me, but I am not . I am just annoyed by this person.