just a warning to anyone out there looking to purchess templates from others.

I purchessed a template about three months ago here in WHT (but this goes for everywhere) and I just found out the template was ripped from another site.

what is a litle odd to me is the person provided me with all the psd files and such.

anyway just would like to warn all to be careful of what you purchess. perhaps looking into the designers background and such first.

sorry if this is in the wrong area (well of course it is) but I figured this was the best place to post such a matter.

Maybe that someone else ripped off your template.

maybe..maybe not..basically what I am saying is that ripping seems to be a huge problem

when you got the psd file were all of the elements seperated out into different layers? eg. was the text on a seperate layer from it's background? That's hard to reproduce if you're ripping a design. Also, was it a full color (24 bit) document with no Jpeg artifacts? Images taken from the web usually aren't. Maybe this person sold their template twice. What a jerk.

the person that claims it was ripped also claims to be its creator..that I am unsure of at the moment.

the psd files where completly layer and even foldered..from every line to every word...

it was acctually very well done.

I was provided with the html even and its an exact copy of what the claimy has.

Anyone who purchases something on the net and runs a business such as yours should be keeping reciepts. Prove this design is purchased from someone else and give the person that contacted you the proper information so he/she can handle it in the proper legal way.

I was the one that contacted this person to let them know it was a stolen theme and yes the original creator contacted you. Ethics and common sense would say you should have a receipt for the purchase.

Do right by the creator and follow ethical and moral copyright laws. Exspecially since you are suppose to be running a valid legal business.

Oh and one more thing ... why if you are a design company buying templates can't you design one on your own?

I personally find this appauling behavior.

for your information Hbdesignz

1) The template was purchesed here in WHT, I am unable but still searching for the thread where I bought it. it was posted here as a template for sale a few months back

2) this is the exact reson I am posting this warning because you can very screwed over in such a situation.

3) I am only new to this wheeling and dealing and purchesing a template I did not think was that big of a deal. it has bothered me the past month after reading many posts about ripping and such and had planned to change the template as soon as I had time.

4) if you knew anything..anything at all about me and my company you would know I have been absolutly swamped with buisness deals the past few months. I have been doing graphic design for a year now and have not had time to even update my own portfolio let alone do an entire site all over.

5) I see a lot of small time designers here and there looking for work...was it a horrible act for me to say "yes I will help you out and buy your template from you" and sue it because i am to busy?

6) what discusts me the most is that fact that you went behind my back and such. yes ripping is absolutly horrible and I hate it when it happens to me...but not to even to bother asking me before doing such an act? I do respect that fact that you acted but a more profesional way would have been to inform me as well.

Either way in the end i have contacted the person whom has been ripped and informed her of the situation to the best of my knowledge. I have placed everything i possibly can on the back burner to settle this and redesign my entire site from scratch..I have elarned my lesson and shall never purchess something from anyone on WHT ever again without a very deep look into their background and such.

Also to see a comunity fall in upon its self in such a childish manner makes me sick.

good day to you

ps - what also sickens me is that fact you are unable to admit who you are. I am not angry at you but i wish you would have approached the manner ina diffrent way.

starting a new account simply to post here in this threat is either a) cowardece or b) Idiotic

I noticed i have not received a response from you nor lisa.

if it is possible or if you are speaking to her please inform her I wish to have this matter setteled as soon as possible and please have her either call me or e-mail me as soon as she can. I do wish this matter to be solved as quickly and profesional as possible.

Thank you

Originally posted by mrlarter
for your information Hbdesignz

1) The template was purchesed here in WHT, I am unable but still searching for the thread where I bought it. it was posted here as a template for sale a few months back

2) this is the exact reson I am posting this warning because you can very screwed over in such a situation.

3) I am only new to this wheeling and dealing and purchesing a template I did not think was that big of a deal. it has bothered me the past month after reading many posts about ripping and such and had planned to change the template as soon as I had time.

4) if you knew anything..anything at all about me and my company you would know I have been absolutly swamped with buisness deals the past few months. I have been doing graphic design for a year now and have not had time to even update my own portfolio let alone do an entire site all over.

5) I see a lot of small time designers here and there looking for work...was it a horrible act for me to say "yes I will help you out and buy your template from you" and sue it because i am to busy?

6) what discusts me the most is that fact that you went behind my back and such. yes ripping is absolutly horrible and I hate it when it happens to me...but not to even to bother asking me before doing such an act? I do respect that fact that you acted but a more profesional way would have been to inform me as well.

Either way in the end i have contacted the person whom has been ripped and informed her of the situation to the best of my knowledge. I have placed everything i possibly can on the back burner to settle this and redesign my entire site from scratch..I have elarned my lesson and shall never purchess something from anyone on WHT ever again without a very deep look into their background and such.

Also to see a comunity fall in upon its self in such a childish manner makes me sick.

good day to you

ps - what also sickens me is that fact you are unable to admit who you are. I am not angry at you but i wish you would have approached the manner ina diffrent way.

starting a new account simply to post here in this threat is either a) cowardece or b) Idiotic

1.] IF you infact purchased it from here at WHT then you should be able to find the thread inwhich it was first promoted.

2.] Every designer is at risk on the net but not following up on a receipt of purchase or a printed license from a designer on a theme or template is not anyones mistake but your own.

3.] Agree'd I don't know you from Adam and I have no idea what your client base is but that isn't the problem at hand. You purchased a template but have no proof you purchased it other than your word which on the net lately doesn't stand for much.

4.] How long you've been doing graphic design isn't the question at hand the misconception that those images per your copyright notice are copyrighted to you but yet again no receipt or contract stating they do belong to you when infact you stated you purchased them.

5.] No it wasn't horrible but as many say *Give Credit Where Credit is Due ...* I'm sure if you've been on the net designing for a year now you would understand this concept.

6.] I have no obligation to you or anyone on this board. I just started visiting here about a week ago when another mutual friend said it was a nice place to look for good webhosts and read up on the old. I acted in a very professional way how dare you say otherwise. I sent a valid email to Setcity with links to her design and links to your site stating is this a hack or a buy because on her site the set was still available for purchase.

7.] I'm glad you contacted setcity but it still goes back to the basic fact you have no receipt you have no proof you purchased this from another site. If infact you can prove you did buy it in a valid way and someone else is at fault then so be it I will apologize. But my opinion stands if you purchase something GET A RECEIPT.

Last but not least I don't need to prove myself to you or to anyone else. Just a concerned party. I'm new to this board and I found it to be interesting to read up on hosts and what is going on in the community. To find that hacking designs is a bigger problem than what I initially imagined makes me want to keep my own designs thumbnails or screenshots, or whatever works. I don't have any personal information because I don't want my site a even bigger target for these types of activities.

I'm not angry at you either but I'm angry at the fact that there is no receipt there is no proof you did in fact buy this from another designer (if that's what they'd like to call themselves). But you have to understand this is not the only community on the net. There are many! And some are very close nit type families. I happen to be apart of a community that looks out for one another and does everything possible to find ways to stop this type of behavior. This is how I know Setcity's work and why I went to her directly.

We all have a income to make we all would like to succeed in this business. Doing what's right and covering your butt at all times is more work than actually designing a template or design.

and to respond to your second post I don't live online 24/7 (some would argue that) so I didn't get your response till now. My apologizes for delaying it but I do have a family and a life outside of the net.

I am completly insulted because this is your second post you have absolutly accused me of theavery...if i was a theif do you think i would have contacted lisa in the manner I have? do you think I would post here explaing the current situationa dn attempting to remedy it as soon as possible?

I think not..

I ****ed up and never got a receit at the time I didn't think this woudl ever happen..I cannot predict the future..I have been doing graphic design for over a year and yes that has litle to nothing to do with the fact..simply explaining i am not new to this is all..what I am new to is the cumminity aspect of hosting and design.

i have learned in the past few months that is it ruthless and cuthroat..people care little to nothing for one another as long as ythey are making their own buck..

I simply would have been liked to be approached before or even by you in any formif you felt the template was ripped..which i have admited now..but it was NOT ripped by me.

I don't know else i can do to make you happy..I am removing the template as soon as I can which should be by tonight.

Should i go to prison because of inexperince in the webhosting and design buisness online? i don't think so

and for someone new to the forums you don't know how to make friends very well....your first post on the board as simply to attack me...

Originally posted by mrlarter
I am completly insulted because this is your second post you have absolutly accused me of theavery...if i was a theif do you think i would have contacted lisa in the manner I have? do you think I would post here explaing the current situationa dn attempting to remedy it as soon as possible?

I think not..

I ****ed up and never got a receit at the time I didn't think this woudl ever happen..I cannot predict the future..I have been doing graphic design for over a year and yes that has litle to nothing to do with the fact..simply explaining i am not new to this is all..what I am new to is the cumminity aspect of hosting and design.

i have learned in the past few months that is it ruthless and cuthroat..people care little to nothing for one another as long as ythey are making their own buck..

I simply would have been liked to be approached before or even by you in any formif you felt the template was ripped..which i have admited now..but it was NOT ripped by me.

I don't know else i can do to make you happy..I am removing the template as soon as I can which should be by tonight.

Should i go to prison because of inexperince in the webhosting and design buisness online? i don't think so

and for someone new to the forums you don't know how to make friends very well....your first post on the board as simply to attack me...

First off I never said you were a thief but common sense would say if you purchase something get a receipt. And ofcourse if you didn't steal it and are handling the matter with Lisa appropriately then that's very professional of you. All I'm saying is for someone who runs a business I'm quite flabbergasted that you didn't get a receipt which would have made this less of a problem and more of a problem for the thief themselves. Just because you say you didn't steal it doesn't mean a thing. Proving it is another. Like I said before I'm sorry this happened to you it happens to way to many people on the net every day. And yes it can be ruthless and cut throat but it is the livlihood of many, and to call this situation that is just incorrect ... it's basic watching out for one another. I didn't know you personally so I went to Lisa.

how do u get receipts? how exactly is a receipt gonna matter when purchasing templates?

While I'm not directly involved in this particular matter, I've sold a number of templates here in these forums. Each and every one was a completely original creation and each additional one I sell will also be. As a designer who has had his work stolen and reused elsewhere more than once, I have no tolerance for that sort of behavior -- but I have come to expect it.

A sad and disturbing fact of doing business on the Web.

I sincerely hope that this situation is resolved both for the customer, MLARTER, and the original designer.

Steve

I am still waiting for a replay from lisa

its not like I am dening the website was ripped. i just want you to be sure it was not ripped by me..and to be honest I don't think anyone getsd Receits from from anyone here on WHT..there tends to be an unspoken trust in the community....

that trust has ben lost on me but i amsure it still stands thee..

not everyone here in WHT is in this for the money just so you know..I have another job that pays the bills just nicly..I do design as a hobby..its a passion..not a quick grab for money

sad to hear that this things are happening

Well what I do is send a printed receipt via email (recently I bought Microsoft Money Home & Business just for this) then I send a printed receipt via US Postal mail. Along with that I keep a running database with my customer's and there URL's, once they buy a template.. And that's to keep track of whom has what and when. I don't show my entire theme or template on the net I only do a watermarked (sometimes not if I forget) screenshot smaller than the original template.

anyways a receipt would have helped you in this matter because it would have come from a valid website, or email, giving contact information or whatnot. You could have just said hold on Lisa or whomever and here ya go this is the person's information. That's all I'm saying. Maybe I've been screwed to many times in my life but I tend to care more about covering my butt.

I'm not here to cause trouble I'm just here to read the boards and make a point that even if there is a *trust* within a community there is always one inwhich that can't be trusted and that's what you always have to think about when buying.

P.S. Lisa isn't on daily I don't think so give her time to answer.

If you want my opinion: ask for a custom-made design each time you commission someone. Templates might be a cheap and fast method to produce a more or less pre-defined look nowadays, but you end up having problems like this.

That's why I don't do templates.

better way to avoid these problems is to do bussines with some DOT COME company so you can contact them in future for any problem.and they can solve your problem right way instead of dealing with unknown net person.caz of they are doing your work in cheap price.second its impossible to make a seperate layers after you flatten image.so no idea whats really going on at back of this
thats your fault.
best of luck.