I have warned some members here about the same thing, that you should not remove the link back in applications like Wordpress for example. But we can't start making accusations without knowing all fact. You never know if the owner of a certain site hasn't paid the creator for the right to remove the link. I've offered this in the past to some script creators. And phpLD has an option, that if you pay $75 you can remove the link. So be sure that those sites are really making anything wrong, or if on the contrary, they even gave a good support for the phpLD project. We never know all facts, before listening everyone... So, why not ask them?
Doesn't sound like it to me. Does it sound like it to you? 1. Where do you see that option? http://www.phplinkdirectory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=813 2. If the site owner has indeed made such an arrangement, why the false attribution notice at page bottom? Paying for the right to remove a copyright notice is one thing. Claiming or implying that the script is the creation of someone else is quite another.
Maybe Affiliate7 is thinking of the next-to-be-released version - phpLD 3.0. http://www.phplinkdirectory.com/content/view/23/31/
Yes, there will be an option to remove the linkback will be in the next release of PHPLD, which will be a PAID version. As of now, the script is being very generously given away. All the man asks is for a link in the footer. Whether it is illegal or not, it certainly is the right thing to do.
Honnestly, after reading all this thread, most of you don't know too much about Free Software in general and the GPL in particulary. Read it and you will know what you can do and what you can't. However, publicaly denuncing (and posting an email address!) is certainly wrong. First proof should be brought about a violation of the license. Second, if the proof is there, it can be a mistake. A cease-and-desist letter would fix it. Third if the violation continues, you can inform yourself at http://www.gpl-violations.org/ and ask for legal counsil at http://www.fsf.org/.
Or you can do what we are doing here: (1) embarass the miscreants publicly - maybe that will convince them to change their ways or at least dissuade others from follwoing their example; and (2) educate them and others that doing this sort of thing is simply not acceptable. How do you "accidentally" delete a link back to the people that designed and coded the script, and accidentally replace it with a different link that implies someone else created it?
Enjoy your crusade Minstrel but imho it's not your place. You don't know the circumstances of each and every site. Many times I send a donation to the author and ask if I can have their permission to remove link, often they agree. I don't mind throwing $10-$20 here and there to make my site look a tad more professional. Of course often times this is NOT the case and people simply remove links without permission. I am really not sure what you can do about it other than bloviate you position. Good luck.
With all due respect, labrocca, I'll decide what to post and what not to post, subject to any filtering the admins and moderators may choose to apply. I just see far too much of this. In the specific instance I cited, the site owner went one step further, not only deleting the link back to phplindirectory.com but replacing it with another link. I highly doubt that David Duval and his team would ever agree to that arrangement. Now if I'm wrong (and see previous posts in this thread because it sure doesn't look like it) I will publicly apologize and eat my words in big bold red letters. But I seriously doubt that I'll need to do that.
The important thing here is that you had no information about this site when you posted that they are acting illegally and unethically and there was a possibility that you were wrong even it seems that later on it was showed that you were right in this particular case. What would have happened if you were wrong and this thread gets indexed by search engines and every time some one does a search on their company they will see your comment about they being unethical? Wouldn't this be a clear case of libel? What is worse, copyright removal or libel? I am not a big fan of vigilante justice because it is too much risk of innocents getting hurt but in my opinion if you want to do postings like this about different sites; the least you can do is to email them and ask them about it in order to be sure that you are not blaming some innocent guy.
Hi everyone! In first I want to apologize before all for my English language it is not so good! If someone will not understand me not hesitate to ask me! Thank for those who support me, and I want to tell that in "minstrel" speaks envy But not protection and care for PLD or he wants to show that he such good! 2. Who to you has entitled "minstrel" to declare publicly mine email and a name? - I WAIT for the ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION!!! Now because of you to me will come twice more spam than usually!!! Actually PLD does not oblige to connect the sites with PLD ______________________________________________________________ http: // www.phplinkdirectory.com/forum/viewtopi c.php? t=813*highlight=link+phplinkdirectory A couple of important guidelines: 1) In the wiki under Site that Use PHPLD, we will be deleting listings for sites that are not linking back. 2) No free support will be offered to people who do not link back. We already have enough trouble keeping up with people who do link back, and we have to give priority to those who support us. _______________________________________________________________ So I have the full right to delete link to PLD and it to anything does not oblige me!!! We have connected the sites www.Search-Group.com; www.ABCZ.org; www.ABCDirectory.Net with PLD And we estimate their work on it script, for it him many thanks!!! But I think that for a site www. ABC.MD - we should not link with PLD And it nobody will change this my opinion! For site ABC.MD we have decided to connect a site with RedCross - International Donate for the help to all people on a planet! It is our choice and we have the right to it ______________________________________________________________ Now as to, Powered by BestDomain.org How you think for what it is made, I sell script PLD from BestDomain.org? I speak that these sites (Search-Group.com; ABCZ.org etc) it is supported PLD from BestDomain.org? Certainly is not present, sense of it Powered by BestDomain.org this that that the owner of these sites BestDomain.org And that that these all from BestDomain.org BestDomain.org = Search-Group.com; ABCZ.org; ABCDirectory.Net; ABC.MD; But no in any way BestDomain.org = php Link Directory As it has written "wrmineo" It seems to me that you "minstrel" in many respects do not understand, and to you still to much will come will learn at others. And still it is necessary to listen and to other opinions and not just to rest and stand on the as the bull If you to us tell, what we bad do(make)? We can be we shall understand you! We have connected all our sites with PLD except for ABC.MD and Casino-777 And that we endow a place on a site for ill and suffering all over the world, from site ABC.MD So vainly you have conceived all this, it is necessary to be kinder to people and to help people instead of to tramble down them publicly in a dirty without fault!!! P.S. I shall try to understand you - BUT I it seems to me not can make!!! It was hard for me to write it in English, but sense I think all have understood! Good luck! 2 P.S. northpointaiki, You wished to remove link from ABC.MD, we have made it! I think that you do not regret about it I think that " minstrel " has very easily entered you in error, and you did not think your head!
Sergey - I appreciate that you would believe Minstrel has that much power, but inasmuch as I respect what he has to say on this forum, it merely prompted me to contact you to find the answer. I indicated that if indeed the facts as he stated them were true, I'd ask to you to reinstate the appropriate credit to the designers; and in the absence of that, I would like to be removed. Intellectual property of any kind is something I hold in high value, and I don't take it lightly when it appears it is not being respected - illegal or not, if someone creates something I benefit from, and on top of that they are not charging me for the benefit, it is in my worldview unconscionable to not credit them. My decision to request that you delete my link was mine and mine alone. Anyone else is free to do what they would, of course.
This your right to ask to delete link to you, without problems! I already wrote that PLD does not oblige anybody to hold link to phplinkdirectory! It is free script as well as others scripts, osCommerce etc. We have link to them from other our directories, except for ABC.MD it not a crime! Good luck! minstrel, we wait for explanations why you have published publicly ours email and a name?
In fact there is no way you can be obliged because to require a link would contradict the license. An obligation for a link would make the software proprietary (aka non-free). Well that depends if the GPL is enforceable where your servers are. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html
Check with the original script author. Lots of script owners offer to have the links removed for a price. Another thing that could happen, it happened to me, is this. He got the script from someone else who had removed the author links. And he put up the script in good faith, not knowing about the original links. But yes, I agree, people who remove the author links, etc should be held accountable for it. Report the site owner to the script author. The Iowa Dawg
I'm a little late joining this thread, but sure do appreciate everone's support. I've worked hundreds if not thousands of hours creating the PHP Link Directory. In many cases, I have even provided free support. I really don't have time to police every directory that doesn't link back, but I know about you...more than you probably realize. We are all in this together! Not only is this the spirit of open source, but it is the spirit of success. When we learn to help each, we all benefit. I'm working hard on 3.0 now, and I'll be providing access to the development area soon. Thanks everybody!
Oh, and you do not have to link back any more than I have to make it free. The next version will have a rather interesting method for "pseudo"-licensing and will be a great testament to how people working together will go far. Really, by choosing not link back you are saying that you don't value the improvement of the very sofware you just installed! (I do want to qualify that some people have made donations or contributions instead of linking back, but none of the examples listed from earlier seem to be any of those people)
The licensing for the next version promises to be very interesting I believe the method you will soon see will draw the attention of other software developers. The new program is scheduled to begin around February 1, and will include access to the 3.0 source code. Get ready for a VERY interesting licensing method. I promise you will like it.
I want to ask the owner the script, I can leave site ABC.MD without the reference back to PLD? My sites Search-Group.com ABCZ.org ABCDirectory.net had all and have link to PLD I would do(make) the donation for this purpose, but as though I am afraid to not offend you with my donation
You're forgetting one very important detail: This wasn't a case of simply removing the "Powered by phpLinkDirectory" acknowledgement - this guy actually substituted another acnowledgement, implying that the script was created by someone else. As for which is worse: I think theft of intellectual property without acknowledgement is worse. If I had been wrong, I would have publicly apologized and requested that the initial post be edited to reflect the fact that there was a retraction. One more thing: The guy in question was reading this thread earlier today. I haven't seen an explanation from him denying the facts as stated, have you? Edit: I see that he did later reply but it doesn't change anything. All he has in fact done is confirm my accusations - to whit, he has removed the acknowledgement to David Duval's team and substituted a link implying it is someone else's creation. What's worse is he is now defending that action by claiming there is nothing wrong with what he has done. I rest my case. He is a common thief and plagiarist.
I agree 100%. I am always very careful to try and lead the information back to the author in some form or fashion, as requested by the author. The fact that the software is being given away for free should make this a no-brainer for people. If all someone is asking for using a script they spent a lot of time creating for you, the least you can do is keep the link-backs and credit intact. For those who are doing it... You are not fooling anyone. We know you didn't custom write the script, and on top of that you removed the author's information. So think about that next time you remove it to try and make your site "look better", "look custom" or whatever crazy motivation you have for doing it. Many authors will accept donations in exchange for removing their links. If they do not offer such a thing, you can always inquire. Edit: And if Minstrel had been wrong then so be it. Clearly he was not wrong. I have been wrongly accused of removing credits from a script before. Problem was the people were looking at sites of mine that were not running the script. Did I freak out about it? No.. I explained them the situation, gave examples that my many sites running the script all had proper accreditation and suggested they get better at identifying the script they were so bold to defend. Here is the bottom line. If you remove the credits from a free script without prior approval, you are a tool.