Thread: Copycats, copycats everywhere!

Years and years ago, when I had time for such stuff, I wrote several articles and posted them around the internet on one or two of the article sites.

A while ago, I decided to do a blog outside of Active Rain that was more under MY control.

Erby, The Central Kentucky Home Inspector's Blog

I’ve taken some of the stuff I wrote years and years ago and / or on Active Rain to put on that blog to get it started.

Today, while checking to see site statistics for that site, I wanted to see if Google had picked up the new site yet.

So, I took a random sentence out of the middle of one of the articles Home Fire Safety posted on the new site to see if it would come up on Google.

"When you move into a used home, you have no way of knowing how old the detectors are"

It didn't surprise me that it came up on several of the "Article" sites out there, with attribution. That's one of the reasons I wrote it.

What did surprise me was the home inspectors who now lay claim to that same article.

Bruce LaBell, Scottsdale, AZ wrote the same article in February 2009.

The Home Inspection Information Site uses it without attribution and some slight editing.


Steve Rinner, GLH Home Inspections in Norwalk, OH wrote the same article on his website, without attribution, but with a couple of minor edits, like taking out the B4U Close.

Maybe they hired the same guy to do their websites and don't know about what he did).

Maybe I'll write 'em something nasty, maybe not. But then maybe I just wrote this to embarrass them and to drive some traffic to my blog.

Ah well, what the hell. I wrote it to spread it around.

It's a wonderful day when you wake up in the morning!


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I would write them.

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

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I would write them.

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Ask him what is a " Certified Distressed Property Expert " as touted on his web site.
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I thought Jim Arnold in Philly ( judging from his posted photos) could Claim that Title.
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Maybe its just an amazing coindidence

I've heard if you lock a blind monkey in a room with a typewritter he'll eventually produce an exact copy of War and Peace.

Originally Posted by Billy Stephens

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Ask him what is a " Certified Distressed Property Expert " as touted on his web site.
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I thought Jim Arnold in Philly ( judging from his posted photos) could Claim that Title.
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Who is this Jim Arnold in Philly whom you speak of?

Originally Posted by John Arnold

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Who is this Jim Arnold in Philly whom you speak of?

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Oops

Oh Yeah He's the Guy that does stuff in some of the Run Down Sections of Town.
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My text does not get swiped much, but my water intrusion defect photos show up all the time on commercial sites without attribution, and sometimes with the (C) Photoshoped out - I run across then when I am researching water intrusion issues.

I found a web site, in my area, that has several pages copied word for word and even down to the font. I believe the guy got suckered in by a cheap web site outfit that just copies HTML off existing web sites.

Rather than send out a letter have your lawyer send a cease and desist letter. That would carry (hopefully) more weight then a personal letter.

I too have had my corporate motto used by others, even thought it is a quote from long dead field surgeon and isn't a copy right infringement, it has popped up on other sites and I have used it since 91.

In the past I have written about and pretty close to the exact same thing as someone and when I find out I change mine well enough so it does not resemble, outright, the other guys info. As far as that long blob post ..... that would be just a little more difficult to get almost exactly the same

I will state that you can go to countless article posting sights and there is some pretty good stuff that you can use for free. He may have gotten somewhere like that and thought it was OK to use. I have seen many things on the NACHI sight that looked oddly familiar to other sights I have visited or blog sites or websites of inspectors. Strange how I know some of them I have seen had the info before it popped onto NACHI. I guess one can only write so much before it looks like everyone elses.

But again. Not your blog.

It's not that they're using it Ted.

That same article is all over the internet, WITH ATTRIBUTION!

It's that they're portraying it as their own writing.



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Changed.

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Hi (ALL) &

Could the author consider that a 'compliment' (others so impressed they want to share it /use it) ?


CHEERS !

Originally Posted by Glenn Duxbury

Hi (ALL) &

Could the author consider that a 'compliment' (others so impressed they want to share it /use it) ?
!

The author DID consider it a compliment when it was used WITH attribution.

The author DID NOT consider it a compliment when others STOLE it and CLAIMED it as they're own!




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