Rip Patrol

I just downloaded it and there is "credit" given to alex in the readme...."This theme was created by Neodescis. If you wish to redistribute this theme, please include this file.

If you have any comments or suggestions on the theme, please go to board.iexbeta.com, register, and leave a comment in the XP Skins section.

One final note - this skin is BASED on the original PreLuna theme for WindowBlinds made by Johanne Chainé. Most of the graphics, however, are original."

What do we expect of people who think cracking their system is normal? Bunch of pseudo-warez.
We neeed to find out who wrote this guy and explains basic right and wrong to him.

This person seems like he is trying to do good, but just doesn't know the rules. Anybody ripping with malicious intent probably wouldn't give credit at all. I think he just needs a polite note explaining our ethics rather than the usual public bashing.

OK, here's another Preluna rip. This time on pocketblinds.. http://pocketpc.five-star.com/~stingray/files/bar.zip

This is starting to look like the time that Bono Vox person ripped treetog's Sputnik skin and uploaded it at Nullsoft... Credit or no credit, someone needs to set this guy straight. I agree, therer doesn't seem to be any malicious intent here, but a rip is a rip.

Actually, I have told Neo (the guy who makes these) that he needed to get permission. I got flamed for my trouble.

The PB skin is actually a different author.

Well dang, I guess we'll have to do the usual. I'll setup up the gallows...

darn I'm really tired, I never gived any permission to anyone, the guy contacted me I told him NO

this is port or my skins or partially port or colored skin from my work that someone is curently converting

I don't agree with that at all

http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/LunaCopper_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/PreLuna.jpg
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/LunaWhistler_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/LunaMidnight_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/LunaGold_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/LunaDarkViolet_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/LunaForestGreen_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/HolHalloween_screen.png
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/HolSnow_screen.png

I'm sick of this, always have to check everywhere. Rip Rip Rip!!!

Something must be made, I think this is just the beginning, those guys will begin to rip one after another.

We need some assistance!

This is unbelievable... The Halloween rip made me see red.

Oh, for fuck's sake...

I could citch-slap the jackass who called you a fascist. He had the nerve to defend rips because they are "art." I'm sorry, but stealing another artist's design is not art. I'm a fairly talented 2-d artist, and I could produce a reasonably decent facsimile of a Drurer drawing. That doesn't make me an artist, just a forger.

I think I'm gonna do a little flamingof my own...

umm... I meant to type "bitch-slap" up there

I just saw this at the link Brad posted above... "Software to convert WB skins to XP is probably viable but WB skins suck so bad.. who would want it?".

That really says a lot about who we're dealing with here. These guys don't have a clue about customizing, artwork or gui design. They just want pretty colors for their 'cracked' version of XP and maybe a cool Britany Spears wallpaper.

hangin's too good for 'em.....

hehehe

ps-- I'm writing an email to the company that hosts the rips of Alex's work. Any thoughts before I send it?

"Hello,

You should be aware of the fact that one of the sites you host contains design work directly stolen from a third party. The artwork in question consists of "Visual Styles", which change the appearance of the Windows XP interface. The person using your service to host his Visual Styles has several designs that have been lifted from the works of other digital artists.

For example:
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/PreLuna.jpg
This is a v.s. called "PreLuna", which the author admits is "inspired" by this: https://www.wincustomize.com/library/accounts/Alexandrie/wb/prelunafinal.png, which is a "skin" (another way of customizing the Windows interface) designed and created by Johanne "Alexandrie" Cheine months before the v.s. of the same name was developed.

There are several more "rips" (slang for a copycat design) on his/her site.

I'm sure your company does not condone the presence of illegal artwork on your hosted sites, and I trust you will do the right thing and persuade this user against distributing materials that violate international copyright law.

Thank you for your time,
Ricardo Colmenares"

Too serious? not seriosu enough?

The community MUST react to this. Ripping has always been a problem, but unless we band together, wholesale ripping is going to become fashionable. The Styles XP gang will show no respect.
The title of this thread, "Rip Patrol" is a GOOD idea. Perhaps an email group. Someone sees a rip, they send out an alert and we all send emails to the ripper.
Ricardo, you might want to mention that theft of intellectual property is a crime under international law. Just a thought.

This is the final draft of the email:

"Hello,

You should be aware of the fact that one of the sites you host contains design work directly stolen from a third party. The artwork in question consists of "Visual Styles", which change the appearance of the Windows XP interface. The person using your service to host his Visual Styles has several designs that have been lifted from the works of other digital artists.

For example:
http://www.peakpeak.com/~nicks/PreLuna.jpg
This is a v.s. called "PreLuna", which the author admits is "inspired" by this: https://www.wincustomize.com/library/accounts/Alexandrie/wb/prelunafinal.png, which is a "skin" (another way of customizing the Windows interface) designed and created by Johanne "Alexandrie" Cheine months before the v.s. of the same name was developed. The author of the v.s. asked Ms. Cheine for her permission to port the skin. She declined. This person decided to go ahead and steal her design anyway.

There are several more "rips" (slang for a copycat design) on this person's site.

I'm sure your company does not condone the presence of illegal artwork on your hosted sites, and I trust you will do the right thing and persuade this user against distributing materials that violate international copyright law, which is a prosecutable crime.

Thank you for your time,
Ricardo Colmenares"

I hope they do something... If hosting services crack down on rippers, we could all breathe a little easier.

Excellent letter FIrestorm, let us know if they reply.

Well... they did reply. However, they limited themselves to emailing me a copy of the DMCA.

people don't care over there about rip

GOTO the SOURCE. LOOK what I found. The guy posting himself. http://board.iexbeta.com/cgi-bin/ib2/topic.cgi?forum=17&topic=103

Fucking unbelievable...

I'm posting to him now (under the name "Durden.")

What a bunch of unoriginal thieving bastards.

I think this will only undermine the legitimacy TGT Soft wishes styles xp to achieve.

Maybe the best way to stop the rips would be for the designer to do there own ports. It's bad that an artist would have to do that. But it would definetly point out to the unknowing who the true designer is. They could even tell people this is my work, but it's much better with WB.