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Attention to all the wordpress theme designers / link buyers

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by Lorelei, Jun 12, 2008.

  1. Bryce

    Bryce Peon

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    #41
    Unfortunately if you've uploaded a theme to a site to be distributed for free, you have no legal recourse as you have essentially distributed your work into the "public domain". Technically, a theme can't be copyrighted if the underlying software (Wordpress, Joomla, etc) is "open source".

    The most you can hope for is that people are honest and that they don't behave like human refuse. I use a lot of free themes for my company and my Wordpress hosting clients but we've never removed the original artist/designer's links because it's only fair and it's all about "good karma".

    I hear and feel all you theme developers because you spend your time doing something and your reward is your name and link on the theme. Somebody switching your links out with some casino or crap links is an insult.

    @pixeladd - there really is no easy way to encrypt the footer that can't be undone. I've written several "open source" PHP scripts (Google "peach rss") and I have a few scripts I'd like to release commercially *without* having to Zend encode them because I know as soon as I sell a copy, there's going to be some lamer here on DP or somewhere else selling my script.

    Now after reading this thread, I'm going to brainstorm on some idea to help you theme designers beat these ignorant people who have no respect for creative people (plus, I'm about due to figure out some way to track where my scripts are running) !!

    ;)
     
    Bryce, Jun 16, 2008 IP
    Lorelei likes this.
  2. jinsona

    jinsona Well-Known Member

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    #42
    Just noticed that blogstheme dot com has been thrown back into the 7th page for a google search of "wordpress theme" . Mind that this used to be on the first page with a 6 or 7 position. Looks like wpthemesfree also suffers a similar hit.
     
    jinsona, Jun 17, 2008 IP
  3. srik79

    srik79 Active Member

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    #43
    yep wpthemesfree went down 40 places for both free wordpress themes and wordpress themes
     
    srik79, Jun 17, 2008 IP
  4. falguni1

    falguni1 Peon

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    #44
    I have many times visited blogstheme and never had the slighest idea that they are doing such things. I wish to be more aware now.
     
    falguni1, Jun 17, 2008 IP
  5. Bytes For All

    Bytes For All Peon

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    #45
    I just wanted to open a thread about wpthemesfree (but I am not allowed to yet, in Link Sales)

    It's good to see blogstheme dropping but it annoys me that google would hit wpthemesfree the same way. The "brought by Wordpress Themes" link seemed pretty appropriate and non-spammy to me.
     
    Bytes For All, Jun 17, 2008 IP
  6. zinruss

    zinruss Notable Member

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    #46
    This is the power of digitalpoint forum. :)
    I believe they will have another hugh drop in serp soon.
     
    zinruss, Jun 17, 2008 IP
  7. Gigacore

    Gigacore Active Member

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    #47
    well wat was wrong with wpthemesfree for the sudden drop in SERP ?

    were they doing the samething like blogstheme ? :-s
     
    Gigacore, Jun 17, 2008 IP
  8. mamina

    mamina Active Member

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    #48
    Thanks for the great heads up!
     
    mamina, Jun 17, 2008 IP
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  9. FanAddict

    FanAddict Notable Member

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    #49
    Ouch, it's awful to see sites like this bringing down the whole wordpress theme community!

    I will have to send a DMCA request take down form to both of these websites unfortunately, and blogthemesdotcom has such a high ranking *I can't see how....*

    It truly does prove how valuable word press links are!
     
    FanAddict, Jun 17, 2008 IP
    Lorelei likes this.
  10. mikey1090

    mikey1090 Moderator Staff

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    #50
    Seems WPTHEMESFREE.COM has been given a SERP penalty. Probably because they stuffed the same link and same anchor into every theme.
     
    mikey1090, Jun 18, 2008 IP
  11. FanAddict

    FanAddict Notable Member

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    #51
    I can't see how google would have given them a penalty for that. I noticed they were putting the link in the META of most themes.

    Does wordpress.org get any penalties because of that? In the end google can't tell if it's the site - or the user doing it. If google starts giving penalties for one way links in the meta/blogroll, there's going to be some very angry people!
     
    FanAddict, Jun 18, 2008 IP
  12. rrussell

    rrussell Peon

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    #52
    Very interesting topic. I think we can all agree that taking out original links and replacing them is not acceptable. This entire niche is still pretty new, so there's going to be some rogue sites out there. That's inevitable. There's another side to this discussion -- which maybe more productive -- that hasn't really been touched on.

    What is acceptable for these theme download centers to add in?

    The designers are obviously getting a benefit from the distribution. This probably won't be a popular comment -- but it's not like most of the people who are doing this design are just altruistic(There are a few out there -- Sadish Bala is a great example). Most of the desingers doing this are trying to make a buck by plugging a sponsor.

    The download centers should have some benefit as well -- they are a valuable service for end users and designers alike. I'm very interested to hear from the people who are designing/submitting themes on this one.

    I should probably disclose that we have a couple of wordpress theme sites that are currently just promoting our own themes, but we have tossed around the idea of allowing designers to upload themes. This would be very educational for me if we decide to go that route.

    Would you feel it's okay to:
    - add a link 'distributed by download center'
    - add in one sponsored link from the download center

    etc...

    Where is the threshold that's okay vs not okay. I think the community is tight-nit enough that we can learn from this and steer these download centers in the right direction.
     
    rrussell, Jun 19, 2008 IP
  13. feng

    feng Peon

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    #53
    No to both of your questions:

    First of all the designers hold auctions/sell themes, clearly stating HOW many links they will sell.
    If every "download" center will just keep adding a link, when will it stop.

    The buyers prefer the less links on a theme, so in that way their own link gets exposure.
    Buyers do not want to "share" their links, with unwanted links (most designers do not accept gambling/warez etc etc links), who can guarantee thoose downloadcenters do it too.
    Most designers keep a link for themselves, and having gabling/warez links on their themes is bad for them.

    I really see no point in why downloadcenters should be allowed to add a link (may it be one of their own or a sponosered one)

    Also this will become a natural selection, basically what you are saying here is:
    Wanna make quick bucks, open a download-center, take themes from everywhere and sell a link on them and or add your own for free.
    Basically this is, wowieee...easy money....
    If you tell a friend to go to a certain shop to buy a special kind of shoe, you do not expect from him to buy you a pair also, or to give you some money for it.
    Also that money will go to the persons that made that shoe.
    Yes ofcourse the person that OFFERS thoose shoes earns from it as well, but his trademark/logo wont be on the sold shoes

    Designers submit their themes THEMSELVES and all (if at all) most download centers will do is, approve (a one click option, not hard work).

    This is a too easy option to make money from OTHER peoples works
    If you want to earn from the themes as "just" being a download center, make sure your center is sooo popular in the rankings and thus downloaders, so YOU can charge the designers if they want to upload their themes at your site
     
    feng, Jun 19, 2008 IP
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  14. zinruss

    zinruss Notable Member

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    #54
    Reason : They claim something they have no relations to.

    The blog software belong to them.

    Designers usually spend haft of the day to create an awesome theme and another few hours to distribute it and i believe it is fair even they get paid.

    From my personal point of view, it is not fair if sponsors get penalties from the the big G. Example, if i rent you a car, you must return it but if i sell you a car, you can do whatever you want. Same case apply to wordpresss theme sponsorship.

    Nothing personal. I don't recommend this.

    http://www.hotscripts.com
    http://www.dynamicdrive.com

    Those are popular download center and they don't put anything into something they have no relations to.
     
    zinruss, Jun 19, 2008 IP
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  15. mikey1090

    mikey1090 Moderator Staff

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    #55
    Thanks Zinruss for pointing out what I was trying to say. Wordpress.org can have millions of "legal" backlinks as their link is their for a reason. They own the script.

    WPthemesfree.com is just sticking their link in purely for the purpose of manipulating Google. It was a matter of time before they were given a SERP penalty.
     
    mikey1090, Jun 19, 2008 IP
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  16. FanAddict

    FanAddict Notable Member

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    #56
    My WP theme site does put it's OWN link in the META of themes that the owners "OK" us to put it there, it is up to the users if they choose to do it - right in the submission form.

    It's only linked to the THEME SITE, nothing else!

    I feel if the user wants to give the theme distribution site some credit for helping it to get downloads, by all means go for it.

    They have a relation to the theme, the theme sites distribute it.

    Like I said above, my wp theme sites allow for the user to choose if they want to put in a link or not, I would NEVER force a link on anyone, that is just wrong.

    Again, the way I look at it - the theme sites have a right to put a link in the meta if the user chooses to for one reason, they distribute the theme - therefore have a relationship to it.

    If it's in the META, it's easy to remove. A LOT easier then in the footer where it's encrypted.

    If it's for manipulation search engines, then obviously that's not allowed by G. But if it's put there on the intention of getting referral traffic - I see nothing wrong with that.


    ----------------
    On another note:
    Last week or so, I downloaded a couple random themes from wpthemesfree.com and I was shocked at what I found. They were putting links to OUTSIDE sites in the meta/footers.

    I don't remember which sites exactly, but there was a couple.

    Anyone else seen this?
     
    FanAddict, Jun 19, 2008 IP
  17. mikey1090

    mikey1090 Moderator Staff

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    #57
    Then they should have used nofollow, and they wouldnt have been penalised.
     
    mikey1090, Jun 19, 2008 IP
  18. FanAddict

    FanAddict Notable Member

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    #58
    They'll bounce right back up, it's only temporary.... my 2 cents.
     
    FanAddict, Jun 19, 2008 IP
  19. Gnet

    Gnet Peon

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    #59
    Im not saying that these poeple should do whatever they want but it doesn't mean everyone should spend their time and energy prosecuting these morally damaged bastards.

    It's better to just keep your own business straight and don't care about anything else, sooner or later they will get theirs
     
    Gnet, Jun 19, 2008 IP
  20. mikey1090

    mikey1090 Moderator Staff

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    #60
    The penalty will stay until wpthemesfree sort the issue out. They can file for re-inclusion in webmaster tools.
     
    mikey1090, Jun 19, 2008 IP