Member Avatar for happygeek

Seems like abelLazm being banned is attracting a lot of attention here.

Generally speaking, when someone breaks the rules and then argues the rules don't apply to them it tends to get my attention.

Member Avatar for happygeek

@happygeek
I have a question, if I copy paste something from another website, but I tell others that it is not mine and is from the other website(by giving the link), then will I be banned?

You are only banned if you accrue 10 infraction points. A Keep It Legal infraction is worth 5 points.

The Keep It Legal rule clearly states:

"Do ensure you own the intellectual property rights to everything that you post. Do not post copyright-infringing material"

And that still applies even if you then add a link saying "this is where I copied that from" unless you can prove that the IP owner has given you explicit, written, permission for you to use it and for us to publish it.

commented: O.K. Thanks +0
Member Avatar for Kraai

I think the rule is clear. Best is, do not copy stuff from other websites, rather insert only a link to the related content on that site, only if it can be helpfull to resolve a problem. The reader then has a choice to click the link and see if it can help to resolve a problem, or wait for someone else to help with info required.

commented: Well said! +0
Member Avatar for jingda

Ahh, so you're Happygeek in disguise? Let him answer his own questions. - WaltP

Happygeek have said this before so i just help him repeat it again. Isn't what we all do, helping others out even no one ask you for help. Furthermore i was online at the same time, so why can't i reply to his thread?

Member Avatar for sergent

I think the punishment is too harsh. And he said he DID post a link to the website! I think you should un-ban him and apologize! abelLazm is a nice person, and I do not see a serious offence, if he posted the link to the original web-site! And whats up with downvoting people who are defending him! You are so mean! abelLazm is a great contributer to this forum! Just look at his points:
Total Up-Votes Received: 161
Total Down-Votes Received: 7
And I think this should also tell us something about unfair copyright laws, but I will not go there ;)

Member Avatar for Narue

abelLazm is a great contributer to this forum!

There isn't a double standard. Anyone who breaks the rules, regardless of contributions thus far, will suffer the same consequences as J. Random Poster on day one. It's not about being mean, it's about being fair.

Member Avatar for sergent

I don't think its fair.

Member Avatar for jingda

I think the punishment is too harsh. And he said he DID post a link to the website! I think you should un-ban him and apologize! abelLazm is a nice person, and I do not see a serious offence, if he posted the link to the original web-site! And whats up with downvoting people who are defending him! You are so mean! abelLazm is a great contributer to this forum! Just look at his points:
Total Up-Votes Received: 161
Total Down-Votes Received: 7
And I think this should also tell us something about unfair copyright laws, but I will not go there ;)

From what i heard, AbelLazm is a female yet you guys address her as a him. :DJust stick to Kraai explanation.

Edited by jingda because: n/a
commented: Not being S hole like some people! +0
Member Avatar for peter_budo

I think the punishment is too harsh. And he said he DID post a link to the website! I think you should un-ban him and apologize! abelLazm is a nice person, and I do not see a serious offence, if he posted the link to the original web-site! And whats up with downvoting people who are defending him! You are so mean! abelLazm is a great contributer to this forum! Just look at his points:
Total Up-Votes Received: 161
Total Down-Votes Received: 7
And I think this should also tell us something about unfair copyright laws, but I will not go there ;)

There was opportunity to learn from first mistake. We can't take responsibility for someone who is negligent to his position and involvement in community, ignoring community rules and do same thing again.
Beside abellazm is arrogant enough to come back create multiple accounts and continue posting same way as he did in his original account, also he is lame enough to up vote these accounts to get him self more reputation. So do not give me lectures about this not being fair.

Edited by peter_budo because: n/a
Member Avatar for jingda

Guys!! AbelLazm is a female is you have seen my previous post. But anywhere, let's just end this thread.

Edited by jingda because: n/a
commented: WE DON'T CARE!!!! LAY OFF IT! +0
commented: Why did you downvote? What did he do to you??? +0
Member Avatar for diafol

I feel sorry for Abel, truly. However, this just goes to show how careful we all have to be when helping others with bits of code and such like. I understand that the offending piece was not a bit of code? Anyway...

We all benefit from sharing code. Who the hell knows where the code originated from? If somebody helps me on another forum (not claiming the work as his own, but not saying explicitly that it isn't), I use the code, pretty much as is. OK, fine. Two years later a question pops up on DW. I recognise the problem and dig out the code from an old project of mine and post it.

I suppose that I am technically deserving of an infraction. I'm sure that this has happened on a good few occasions - where I've unintentionally passed on some code (trivial bits and bobs, e.g. SQL statements etc) that weren't my own originally.

With small bits of code, some may independently produce nigh-on identical offerings.

Anyway, does this go for quoting from texts? A locked-down religious thread recently had quotes from a few books. I always thought that this was acceptable, even though the posters didn't always quote 'chapter and verse' or the specific holy book from which the borrowed material came.

Does a similar thing exist for code published on the internet? What exactly are the legalities? Can one copy a few lines, a certain %, without need of a reference?

If a reference is given, does it have to have the words, "the above piece was taken from..(link)". It appears that providing just a link is insufficient.

Who is liable for the copied content? DW or the poster? I assume it's the poster. What are DW's responsibilities? Act when a matter is flagged or a complaint is made? Be proactive and police posts as well as possible?

If a poster gets an infraction, does the post get taken down / get edited?


I am not trying to be awkward here, I'm just asking for clarification. I'd hate to get banned.

And I suppose it's human nature to say 'Well *up yours* then', if you do get banned. I wouldn't even bother wasting my time creating another account. Shame - I do hope Abel comes back once the ban is over.

Edited by diafol because: n/a
Member Avatar for VernonDozier

There are only so many ways of doing some stuff. In order for something to be copyrightable, it has to be at least difficult so that not every mediocre programmer or author could belt out the same thing you did. It has to be different enough so that every advanced programmer wouldn't do it the exact same way. That's why you can't copyright Hello World and count to ten programs.


>> where I've unintentionally passed on some code (trivial bits and bobs, e.g. SQL statements etc) that weren't my own originally.

If it's trivial, then you're not guilty of anything. SQL statements fall under the category of "everyone who knows how to do them will do them pretty much the same way." You, or more precisely the guy who actually created them, could add a particularly clever twist, but still, not too many ways of doing most of them. A full-on database design and a long explanation of the pros and cons of different types of queries explained in a professional paper? Cite it, give proper credit, and you're fine. If anyone knew exactly where the line is drawn, we wouldn't need lawyers, but your scenario is way on the safe side even if you take out the word "unintentionally".


The whole idea of this place is that everything you post doesn't have to be original. Someone gives you some code, you change it around to fit a little bit, integrate it with some other code, then pass it along, you don't have to attribute it. This isn't the Oscars. Not everyone needs to get thanked, and it would be completely unmanageable if you had to keep track of what Joe gave you and what Sam gave you and what you thought up yourself and explicitly mention them every time you explained to a poster how to mail an email from PHP. That said, always try to give credit where it's due, if you remember.


>> I am not trying to be awkward here, I'm just asking for clarification. I'd hate to get banned.

I think you just take the warning/infraction, accept it, and make sure you're careful not to do it again even if you think you've done something wrong. You're fine until they make a rule banning sarcasm.

Member Avatar for diafol

> You're fine until they make a rule banning sarcasm.

Ha ha ha. :)

Thanks for the explanation. Lot clearer now.

Member Avatar for WaltP

> You're fine until they make a rule banning sarcasm.

Ha ha ha. :)

Thanks for the explanation. Lot clearer now.

OK, that's it. Time to ban ardav for overuse of sarcasm. Clearer my ... :icon_twisted:

Member Avatar for jonsca

Time to ban ardav for overuse of sarcasm.

Boooy, THAT'll be the day! Uh-oh! Me? (*ducks and covers)

Member Avatar for diafol
Boooy, THAT'll be the day! Uh-oh! Me? (*ducks and covers)

K, Johnny boy. I've got your card marked, me old fruit. Good'n'Proper. :icon_evil:

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