Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: photray94 on June 15, 2008, 02:56:16 AM

Title: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: photray94 on June 15, 2008, 02:56:16 AM
Hello SoR members,

If I'm not mistaken, the page I'm about to link to has plagiarized a tremendous amount of content from SoR's $50 robot tutorial.

http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-build-a-robot.shtml (http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-build-a-robot.shtml)

Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: Rebelgium on June 15, 2008, 06:20:45 AM
I briefly read it and it sure looks like it's just been copied from SoR.
It has been put in his own words though... but that's all

Also the complete lack of photos makes me suspect it even more.
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: AndrewM on June 15, 2008, 08:27:14 AM
They have links to the SOR stuff in there, like the schematic and the photovore code...  Wonder if they asked Admin for permission on that?
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: Admin on June 15, 2008, 11:14:02 AM
 >:(

Thanks for bringing this to my attention . . .

Unfortunately linking to them will drive yet more traffic to them . . .

Anyone willing to track their host down and send a cease and desist letter for me? That usually works on US servers . . .
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: Fredrik Andersson on June 15, 2008, 12:02:40 PM
>:(

Thanks for bringing this to my attention . . .

Unfortunately linking to them will drive yet more traffic to them . . .

Anyone willing to track their host down and send a cease and desist letter for me? That usually works on US servers . . .

Or better yet, send them a How-To on "How you write a cease and desist letter" using their site as an example. In addition to that, clearly state that it is copyrighted to you! :P
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: S. Karim on June 15, 2008, 02:34:24 PM
Here is there host.

http://www.free-internet-media.com/

Administrative Contact:
   NA
   Will Spencer ([email protected])
   +1.3036185013
   Free Internet Media
   1550 Larimer Street, Suite 222
   Denver, CO 80202
   US

"80,621 U.S. visitors per month" from Alexa.

They have links to the SOR stuff in there, like the schematic and the photovore code...  Wonder if they asked Admin for permission on that?
Permission to link is not required. It's sheer credit towards the author if the original domain name exists within the deep link, here the case is "http://www.sociertyofrobots.com/thedirectoryhere".

“If you don’t want someone to find it, link it, and share it, then don’t publish it.”

--

"If you have no idea how to program your robot, simply download this file that the guys at Society of Robots worked so hard to create: http://www.societyofrobots.com/downloads/sbs_source_photovore_v1.zip, as it is necessary to program your robot."

You guys need to clear up your definition of plagiarism. Let me help:

"Presenting the words or ideas of someone else as your own without proper acknowledgement of the source."

He rephrased, he acknowledged the source. Not directly, or as honorably, but acknowledged nonetheless.
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: airman00 on June 15, 2008, 02:59:19 PM
yea he never said he made it , but its just very unethical

some1 send an email saying to cite his sources in a better way and link to the SoR main site somewhere.
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: photray94 on June 15, 2008, 06:54:16 PM
Here is there host.

http://www.free-internet-media.com/

Administrative Contact:
   NA
   Will Spencer ([email protected])
   +1.3036185013
   Free Internet Media
   1550 Larimer Street, Suite 222
   Denver, CO 80202
   US

"80,621 U.S. visitors per month" from Alexa.

They have links to the SOR stuff in there, like the schematic and the photovore code...  Wonder if they asked Admin for permission on that?
Permission to link is not required. It's sheer credit towards the author if the original domain name exists within the deep link, here the case is "http://www.sociertyofrobots.com/thedirectoryhere".

“If you don’t want someone to find it, link it, and share it, then don’t publish it.”

--

"If you have no idea how to program your robot, simply download this file that the guys at Society of Robots worked so hard to create: http://www.societyofrobots.com/downloads/sbs_source_photovore_v1.zip, as it is necessary to program your robot."

You guys need to clear up your definition of plagiarism. Let me help:

"Presenting the words or ideas of someone else as your own without proper acknowledgement of the source."

He rephrased, he acknowledged the source. Not directly, or as honorably, but acknowledged nonetheless.

That's nice S. Karim, but the author of the content only acknowledges that society of robots made the code and the schematic, and not the idea as a whole.
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: S. Karim on June 15, 2008, 09:13:08 PM
That's nice S. Karim, but the author of the content only acknowledges that society of robots made the code and the schematic, and not the idea as a whole.
You cant copyright ideas. Sorry  :'(. Everytime I use a tire in my robot, I dont credit cavemen.

On the internets, its a little personal (I understand that) and I provided the host because I feel someone could ask him to modify it or remove it completely (depending on how angry we are) but it doesn't really change the orbit of the earth does it ::).
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: AndrewM on June 15, 2008, 10:03:06 PM
Permission to link is not required. It's sheer credit towards the author if the original domain name exists within the deep link, here the case is "http://www.sociertyofrobots.com/thedirectoryhere".

Sorry I was ambiguous in my statements, the two were not meant together.  I noted that he had links (which was not previously pointed out), and was wondering if he had asked for permission to use the whole thing.

In fact taking an entire book and changing a few words around, but not changing the overall content or meaning is plagiarism.  Using someone elses work as part of the creation of a new work is what you are referring to, and only requires citing sources.  In this case they did not create a new work (more than 1/3 different is the general guideline used by the courts), but rather reworded the original.  Spells plagiarism and copyright violation in any court.

edit:  Here's the link to the fairuse general guidelines for copyright (which is what you were referring to I believe):  http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: photray94 on June 15, 2008, 11:11:09 PM
That's nice S. Karim, but the author of the content only acknowledges that society of robots made the code and the schematic, and not the idea as a whole.
You cant copyright ideas. Sorry  :'(. Everytime I use a tire in my robot, I dont credit cavemen.

On the internets, its a little personal (I understand that) and I provided the host because I feel someone could ask him to modify it or remove it completely (depending on how angry we are) but it doesn't really change the orbit of the earth does it ::).

I'm not angry, and made this thread to inform the community.  It appeared as plagiarism to me, and as far as anything goes anyone's posts on this thread doesn't matter unless there's professional advice; but if you're a lawyer that's different :)

Sorry this turned into an argument, I only wanted to inform people of what I thought was plagiarism.
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: lkik on June 16, 2008, 02:09:28 AM
that is just the $50 but summarised lol
man i could do beter then that and i no nothing
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: TrickyNekro on June 16, 2008, 07:01:54 AM
And the matter fact is that the linked some photos from SoR!!!
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: Somchaya on June 17, 2008, 03:17:55 AM
I don't support plagiarism, and I agree that the author of that page should credit SoR for the tutorial at least. A simple "this was from SoR, but I've summarized it here" would serve to smoothen ruffled feathers.

The interesting thing is that when I visited that page, I saw a google ad for Society of Robots right there :)

Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: photray94 on June 17, 2008, 03:30:00 AM
Well, if I need to make my point apparent again, the definition of plagiarism is "to use (another's production) without crediting the source".  This applies to all parts of the document.  In only two out of the nine sections of http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-build-a-robot.shtml (http://www.monsterguide.net/how-to-build-a-robot.shtml) are crediting SoR.  Anywhere in the document an "all credit for entire tutorial goes to SoR" would've sufficed.  Here are the seven sections SoR is not credited:
This is my final post on this thread, unless someone asks me a question.
Title: Re: Plagiarism of SoR
Post by: quinacia on June 19, 2008, 06:20:07 PM
My favorite part was that he had the gall to put "Copyright 2008 MonsterGuide.net. All rights reserved." at the bottom of the page.

I know that is the standard footer on every page of the site, but the odds are that every page of the site was stolen from somewhere else as well.