What is Digg?148 Comments
- kbeeveer46, on 10/12/2007, -0/+144This is despicable. To sum this up, Pligg is an open source software that has been around since ecember of 2005. A competitor is stealing Pligg's code and trying to copyright it as their own.
Please help show your support for open source software by digging this. - kbeeveer46, on 10/12/2007, -0/+105Let me clarify, SuperGu has not successfully copyrighted the code yet. They are only in the process. Please help us put an end to this.
- KevinCrose, on 10/12/2007, -1/+77And to sum that up for people who don't read long posts... SuperGu (a Pligg competitor who has never released any code) has filed a copyright for Pligg's code. What they are doing is stealing Pligg's CSS code and copyrighting it as their own
I'm sure everyone agrees, Supergu was nothing more than hype. He never intended to release any of his source code. Since he couldn't come up with it himself, he's trying to steal an open source project and call it his own... James Phelps is a criminal. - fatdog789, on 10/12/2007, -11/+79You goddamn idiots. Pligg ALREADY HAS THE COPYRIGHT.
Copyright in the US is *AUTOMATIC*. All Pligg has to do is show proof of date for any of the materials SuperGu is claiming as their own.
Filing for copyright is *redundant* in the US and is only useful as a marker of *when* the material in question was actually created/generated/whatever by the filer. BUT, if anyone else can show prior possession, the copyright request is void. (Filing is a throwback to the days when copyright was not automatic, IOW, prior to the 70s.) - Jimzip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+55"Some of the claims SuperGu made was that they held copyrights to the following features: 1) Pagination (the next and previous page buttons) - SG claimed that Pligg’s pagination is too similar to theirs. 2) “Powered by Pligg” - SG claimed that the verbiage is too similar to their “Powered by SuperGu” so we have to remove it. 3) RSS feed icon - Yes, SG claimed they owned the copyright to the orange RSS feed icon. After some research we found that Mozilla actually owns the rights to it. These are just a few of the many claims SG made in their first letter sent to Pligg. Overall, there were almost 15 so called “copyright infringements.” "
This is unbelievable.. Look at those infringements, these three especially. How many businesses use the phrase 'Powered by.." for their products. Or the RSS icon? Seriously. Is the guy going to sue Apple next?
Good to see digg can bring this stuff to light, I hope this guy gets what's coming to him.
Jimzip :D - sonaro, on 10/12/2007, -1/+38WHOIS information for: supergu.com:
Registrant:
James Phelps
PO Box 4271
Costa Mesa, California 92628
United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: SUPERGU.COM
Created on: 12-Aug-06
Expires on: 12-Aug-07
Last Updated on: 13-Aug-06
Administrative Contact:
Phelps, James supergu@yahoo.com
PO Box 4271
Costa Mesa, California 92628
United States
9494001195 Fax -- 7144381179
Technical Contact:
Phelps, James supergu@yahoo.com
PO Box 4271
Costa Mesa, California 92628
United States
9494001195 Fax -- 7144381179
Domain servers in listed order:
DNS.SITE5.COM
DNS2.SITE5.COM - DiggNew, on 10/12/2007, -1/+34Someone needs to tell this guy you can't take open source code and claim it as your own.. Also his lawyers should be embarrassed and possibly disbarred for attempting such a frivolous claim.
- hematochezia, on 10/12/2007, -1/+33Not really sure who dugg down fatdog789, but he's right. The pligg guys have nothing to worry about, as they attained copyright of their code as soon as they typed it out. This would truly be about the simplest copyright case to work out in court that ever existed. Pligg is already public, and the code has made its way into public awareness. End of story.
- DiggChainey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+29From the Forum:
This guy is attempting to claim he owns the rights to RSS and the icons used for it... - k3v1n01, on 10/12/2007, -3/+32I can't believe that some one would try to steal open-source code for himself like this. How greedy and unethical. Pligg is a wonderful OSS that has been used to create many social websites for niche communities. SuperGu's disgusting attempts at intellectual theft need to be stopped.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+31Heh, I love contact forms. Here's what I sent:
Dear Mr. Phelps,
I would like to personally thank you for the opportunity you have provided me and thousands like me. Usually when someone becomes the focus of Digg Nation's Army of vigilantes, all we have to go on is an email or a website. You were actually stupid enough to provide several websites, a personal profile, your phone number and place of business. The icing on the cake, however, was your pasty portrait with that ***** eating grin. Now we have a face to go with the name, and if you think your image isn't already on Flickr or hasn't been passed around like that cheap suit you're wearing, you are sadly mistaken. Ain't karma a bitch, Jimmy Boy? See ya around.
Most Sincerely,
TheKidd - dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28Another Michael Crook story - you should also take help of EFF and make the supregu guy to make an apology.
- AmishRefugee, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28"'Powered by Pligg' - SG claimed that the verbiage is too similar to their 'Powered by SuperGu' so we have to remove it."
are you ***** kidding me?? I can't even believe what I just read, that's unbelievable. Someone in charge at SG needs to get bent over and prison raped for their crimes against morality - dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+27Man we started digging into his personal issues, in that case, he is on Digg as inboxnews http://digg.com/users/Inboxnews/news/submitted and his other sites are
http://www.hostcity.com
http://www.flickboy.com
http://www.sortby.us
http:/www.inboxnews.com
And the most funny part of this retard is he seems to claim ownership of Digg from his profile saying http://www.digg.com as his web site. A screenshot in-case he edits it http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/9973/inboxnewsla2.png - spudmanster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24What a tosser this guy is. I had been following supergu from the start and always stated he would not release naught. Which is exactly what he did.
- dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+23As a side note he has been trying to kill Pligg alternatively too by submitting wrong/inaccurate stories to digg too details available from http://www.pligg.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4637
And another interesting fact is that himself is a racist with tons of racist submissions to digg - details available at http://digg.com/tech_news/What_does_a_racist_on_Digg_look_like - esteban, on 10/12/2007, -0/+21I am pretty sure this is his day-to-day business.
http://www.jamesphelps.com/
No surprise that he is a greasy realtor. - DiggNew, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19Sadly, not only is this guy trying to steal code thats not his. He is attempting to bad mouth the project at the same time..
- kbeeveer46, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19mirror if forum goes down http://pligg.blogspot.com/
- en3r0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Sickening.
- esteban, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17Confirmed, same guy:
(Focus your distaste at this chubby face: http://www.jamesphelps.com/agent/ )
Registrant:
James Phelps
PO Box 4271
Costa Mesa, California 92628
United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: JAMESPHELPS.COM
Created on: 16-Nov-02
Expires on: 16-Nov-07
Last Updated on: 03-Nov-06
Administrative Contact:
Phelps, James supergu@yahoo.com
PO Box 4271
Costa Mesa, California 92628
United States
9494001195 Fax -- 7144381179
Technical Contact:
Phelps, James supergu@yahoo.com
PO Box 4271
Costa Mesa, California 92628
United States
9494001195 Fax -- 7144381179
Domain servers in listed order:
DNS.SITE5.COM
DNS2.SITE5.COM - aonic, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19His picture: http://www.jamesphelps.com/images/agent-james-phelps.jpg
Mirror: http://a.photos.cx/agent-james-phelps-619.jpg - sfacets, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16James Phelps is a slimebag.
- Jonty, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16I agree, absolutely disgusting. Anywhere we can oppose his attempt to copyright it?
And doesn't this leave him open to counter-suing? Which, by the looks of things, especially with the Mozilla RSS feed icon, would be very easy. - concept, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15Looks like Mr Phelps just updated his picture; this one seems to be much more accurate...
http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=agentjamesphelpscopykw9.jpg - MissOki, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13Could perhaps the following Scriptlance project - http://www.scriptlance.com/projects/1172785476.shtml have been created by the SuperGu person?
The project creator is 'meneamesg', so maybe the SG on the end stands for SuperGu.
Quote from project page "Port existing css and graphics in Pligg 9.1 to Meneame. Pligg is based on Meneame so the file structure is similar. I'm really looking for an 'ace' css programmer who is comfortable working with php"
P.S. I have only just joined Digg, so my apologies if this post does not follow Digg etiquette (Hello Diggers). - dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -4/+17The topic title is correct I would say,
Copyrights = applied for copyright and
Copyrighted = files and got the copyright.
To end the copyright process is to file an opposition with USPTO with the details of the code's original license. - stikkitjim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Report it to the FSF.. that's what they are there for
- Stii, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11This guy James Phelps is rich, malicious,& cunning but has a the IQ of a melon.
His site got hacked several times. Paid people to write his so called open source code,
kept his stupid emails in public domain. Then turns around to claim copyright on OSS.
He misled all those members at Supergu to get some free testing and feedback, never
intending to release the code. There should be jailtime for a guy like that. - Grogtron, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10I think one of the most productive things that can be done at this point is to ensure that searching Google for this fellow returns nothing but his dirty laundry on the first page.
- spudmanster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Jeezus, I thought I was ugly.
- dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9The details of their copyright attorney who did help James file the copyright without even doing a simple search on the subject:
MARK H. PLAGER
PLAGER LAW OFFICES, PC
16152 BEACH BLVD STE 207
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92647-3821
Phone Number: 714-698-0601
Fax Number: 714-698-0608 - mikeylopez, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9 It was inspired by Meneame, Del.icio.us™ and MySpace™.?? lmao what a joke, no credits to digg? this guy has to be shot.
- dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9There was a recent story run by TechCrunch on this at http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/01/11/suggestion-if-you-copy-digg-at-least-thank-them/
- powatom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9This is disgusting. The screenshots in the legal letters are a joke - any idiot can tell that the SuperGu site is still under tests, what with all the Lorem Ipsum and test pages, whereas the Pligg site actually has activity. The whole thing is a joke, I hope that Phelps guy gets what's coming to him.
- Ibanezfoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Hmmm I live near there...
"Cease and desist the use of your kneecaps bitch!"
heh not really. The place is full of smug chubby white guys, so he would probably blend in really well anyway. - zeppo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10I wonder if James Phelps is related to this Fred Phelps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_phelps
- esteban, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I too have been following SG for a long time, I posted a lot on the forums last year really trying to help maintain momentum and add as much as I could. If this all proves to be true and not just another drama-fest misunderstanding then I feel truly let down and confused.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Hey, uh.. I kinda invented Linux and hold the copyright to it, so can you guys stop using it without paying me?
Hey, isn't that almost what SCO is doing? They're infringing on my patent to sue by claiming I invented ***** that I clearly did not! I'm going to sue. - spudmanster, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Lets hope his lawyer charges by the hour for any telephone discussions that take place in regards to his clients case. lol
- kbeeveer46, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8You are correct, but apparently James doesn't know this. When he filed for the copyright he denoted it as "Entire Program Code." Apparently his software is only made out of CSS.
- JeremyCouch, on 12/22/2008, -0/+7BTW we'd be remiss if with all this attention we didn't invite those who would like to help the Pligg project to contact any of us listed on http://sourceforge.net/projects/pligg , join us in the #pligg room on freenode, or simply post to our forum. There's been a real maturing of the project in the past few weeks and we could use all the help we can get as we get ready to come out of beta in the coming months.
Thanks! - dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Some interesting screenshots of hot discussion on his licenses and his coverup as though Digg sued them (originally he used some CSS effects, images from http://www.Digg.com and got a C&D) this page is currently not available at the forum as thi stupid forsaw this and cleaned his forums.
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/3963/supergu1ir2.gif
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1511/supergu2lq5.gif
FYI he also initially released his code into AFGL ("AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE") license and now changes the licenses which is not permitted. - JAMEsPhelps, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9http://digg.com/tech_news/James_Phelps_Owns_Your_RSS_Icon
DIGG THAT ! - Akaji, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6So... that wiki article led me to www.godhatesfags.com, which led me to throw up a bit. How can people like that exist?
- dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Mirroring the Pligg Blog at Coral Cache http://pligg.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8080/ forums seems to be down atp.
- dollars5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I have already complained abt this to mozilla - you can too report at http://www.mozilla.org/contact/ - let all OSS projects and supporters unite to teach Phelps a lesson on how not to steal code.
- KevinCrose, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6As per James Phelp's forum we are freely to contact his copyright attorney and let them know how you feel.
http://www.supergu.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303 - kbeeveer46, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Yep, that's the same person. You'll notice that he found someone to do it. If you follow the digg story link you'll find a more detailed email that he wrote after finding someone to do it for him.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6his laywer are probably just doing it for the cash and know he will lose
-
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