Web Hosting Talk : Other Forums : Web Hosting Lounge : is this wrong ?

[case]

ok , tell me if this wrong or a form of ripping

take for instance you're building a site . And its a hosting site . Now you're not sure what you want or how the layout should be . So you go to other sites "looking" for like artistic* inspiration , to see what other hosting sites appeal to you . And why .Now you never take or rip any images/words/code ... but you borrow ideas from already successful sites or things that you think would work for you . Is it wrong to look at others websites and borrow ideas , is it ripping even though you didnt actually take anything but an idea ? Im just curious ... if alot of people do this or look down on it ?

[JWise]

As long as your not "Copying" the site then its alright. Every designer gets inspiration from another designer. Just like musicians and musicians, and artists and artists. As long as you don't copy the sites then you are good to go.

[Artashes]

Case, legally speaking, borrowing ideas might be called ripping. Just because "borrowing an idea" is a patent.

Oh, by the way, do you know that there is a patent on "having an idea"? It's true - check for yourself. Just like that - if you get an idea - you theoretically speaking have to pay for it. Its nonsense, but its true.

[TheDoctor]

Well I'm probably wrong but I don't see what your doing "as borrowing ideas" I think what your doing is market research" your going to other sites and seeing what appeals to you and what doesn't and what you think your customers will like. Once you have conducted your research you are then formulating an idea/theme in your own mind and you are producing this.

It is said that we are influenced by everything we see, hear, do. If you never looked at other site you would be doing your customers, your business and yourself an injustice.

Doc