Legal or not, in my opinion copying the look and feel of a direct competitor such as Magento is ethically gray at best, downright shady at worst. I definitely agree with Christopher that the demo store looks tired compared to Magento's but simply copying their default theme doesn't speak much to our project's credibility. The OFBiz community has more than enough talent to analyze what the the Magento front-end does well and duplicate that without copying their look and feel screen for screen.
Ryan Foster HotWax Media 801.671.0769 [email protected] On Mar 26, 2010, at 9:50 PM, BJ Freeman wrote: > google case law look and feel > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Computer,_Inc._v._Microsoft_Corporation > http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.805/articles/int-prop/software-copyright.html > http://www.law.berkeley.edu/journals/btlj/articles/vol4/Wrenn/HTML/text.html > > > This was a complex decision in which the copyright infringement claims > for the various elements of the desktop were thrown out on a variety of > grounds. One important basis for the ruling was the court's finding that > the appropriate standard to apply was whether the two GUI presentations > were "virtually identical," whereas Apple had argued that the > appropriate standard was "substantial similarity." > > Computer programs manifest themselves in any number of ways. 10 > Similarly, the term "look and feel," also known as "total concept and > feel," has been used by copyright law in a number of contexts. 11 > Applied to computer software, it has been used in reference to the look > and feel of written program instructions 12 as well as the look and feel > of a program's audiovisual displays. 13 This comment is concerned only > with the latter. This section will describe the technology at issue and > consider it within its market context. > > > ========================= > BJ Freeman > http://bjfreeman.elance.com > Strategic Power Office with Supplier Automation > <http://www.businessesnetwork.com/automation/viewforum.php?f=93> > Specialtymarket.com <http://www.specialtymarket.com/> > > Systems Integrator-- Glad to Assist > > Chat Y! messenger: bjfr33man > Linkedin > <http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=1237480&locale=en_US&trk=tab_pro> > > > Scott Gray sent the following on 3/26/2010 7:55 PM: >> Reference? >> >> On 26/03/2010, at 7:04 PM, BJ Freeman wrote: >> >>> from past case law, with zerox, microsoft, apple. >>> look and feel can be copyrighted. >>> >>> >>> ========================= >>> BJ Freeman >>> http://bjfreeman.elance.com >>> Strategic Power Office with Supplier Automation >>> <http://www.businessesnetwork.com/automation/viewforum.php?f=93> >>> Specialtymarket.com <http://www.specialtymarket.com/> >>> >>> Systems Integrator-- Glad to Assist >>> >>> Chat Y! messenger: bjfr33man >>> Linkedin >>> <http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=1237480&locale=en_US&trk=tab_pro> >>> >>> >>> Scott Gray sent the following on 3/26/2010 5:39 PM: >>>> I don't think there is a problem with copying the visual aspects of >>>> another application but you absolutely couldn't copy (or really even look >>>> at) any of their code because of the license. >>>> >>>> Regards >>>> Scott >>>> >>>> HotWax Media >>>> http://www.hotwaxmedia.com >>>> >>>> On 25/03/2010, at 10:37 PM, Christopher Snow wrote: >>>> >>>>> My question was more along the lines of: 'Would a "rip" of magento look >>>>> and feel be accepted into trunk?' >>>>> >>>>> BJ Freeman wrote: >>>>>> sure just create a theme. >>>>>> or take a couple from the backend and make them for ecommerce. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ========================= >>>>>> BJ Freeman >>>>>> http://bjfreeman.elance.com >>>>>> Strategic Power Office with Supplier Automation >>>>>> <http://www.businessesnetwork.com/automation/viewforum.php?f=93> >>>>>> Specialtymarket.com <http://www.specialtymarket.com/> >>>>>> >>>>>> Systems Integrator-- Glad to Assist >>>>>> >>>>>> Chat Y! messenger: bjfr33man >>>>>> Linkedin >>>>>> <http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=1237480&locale=en_US&trk=tab_pro> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Christopher Snow sent the following on 3/25/2010 4:42 PM: >>>>>> >>>>>>> The ofbiz demo store looks very tired compared to stores such as magento >>>>>>> commerce demo (http://demo.magentocommerce.com/) >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Has anyone considered "copying" magento's look and feel for ofbiz? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Many thanks, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Chris >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>> >> > >
