MyBB Community Forums

Some people are far too quick to lock threads as in the example here.

http://community.mybboard.net/thread-455...#pid314716

The question was valid and for your information the Author did not need permission to port the Panglima Theme to MyBB. But it appears that the MyBB Vigilantes have decided amongst themselves as to who is wrong without doing any actual research to the requirements or permission for porting themes from http://vbskins.com and is typical of the attitude here.

All the Author needed to do was to put a link-back in the footer to vbskins.com - and that is a matter between him and HostGator who in fact own that site.

I took the liberty of contacting HostGator as to the requirements - Now it would be nice if one of you accusers would PM the person who ported it after you have read the below, and ask them to re-post it.

Quote:Re: http://vbskins.com

Hi People,

I assume from the footer at the above site that you people own the site and all of the content?

If so, I have a question for you because I cannot find any license or eula agreements anywhere on that site.

What I would like to know, (if in fact you do own the site) Is it permissable to port your free themes to other forum software, and if yes, what are the conditions, if any?

I have tried contacting the site by email, but it appears that no-one want to answer anything. :-(

Thanks, and sincerely yours,

Lopalong.

################################

Hello,

I do not believe we own this domain, the contact email is different than the usual email we put onto our domain registrations. From the looks of this it seems that they are free templates for use. I would say go ahead and use them however since we cannot give permission for linking I would advise against that.

If there is anything else we can help you with please let us know

Cody F.

Customer Service Representative

Sales Administrator

Hostgator.com

##################################

Hello,

Yes we do own this domain, I apologize for the earlier reply. Please feel free to use this page in forums, and to link to. Thanks for the email, hope the templates work nicely for you.

If there is anything else we can help you with please let us know

Cody F.

Customer Service Representative

Sales Administrator
Hostgator.com

Don't point fingers when you yourself are wronged. We locked it because he said he did not have permission, which was his decision to say he didn't when he actually did. So don't blame us for closing it to soon when it was the remakers own actions that led us to take the action we did.

(2009-02-20, 09:17 PM)Lopalong Wrote: [ -> ]Some people are far too quick to lock threads as in the example here.

http://community.mybboard.net/thread-455...#pid314716

It was open for 3 hours, I'd hardly call that 'far too quick'

It was closed as it was the wrong place to ask that question, it isn't even your theme, and as Tom said, it's been stated there was no permission.

(2009-02-20, 09:17 PM)Lopalong Wrote: [ -> ]it appears that the MyBB Vigilantes have decided amongst themselves as to who is wrong

If there's a theme that is copied or very closely based off a theme made by someone else for another forum software, and they then say they had no permission, it's removed until we see personal evidence saying it's ok to use. There's been many issues of copyright problems within the MyBB community, let alone with other people. If no permission is needed, that needs to be stated and a link to where it's said needs to be given. If permission has been given, we'd need to see it. If we didn't do this, and someone copied a theme without permission, we'd have to deal with the original author.

From what I saw you all dished out some pretty harsh treatment for someone trying to support MyBB, and I've seen it here before where idiots are far too ready to criticise and condemn, rather than assist with the problem.

Anyway - Going by the above email replies, anyone has permission to port any of the "free" themes from that site providing they link-back in the footer.

Which should be done for all ported themes, or at least the original graphics credited to the original author. Pigs might fly too.

It's not harsh, it's life. I can sugarcoat things and say "Well, we did it because this, or because of that" but I won't, there's no need to. When it comes down to copyright infringement and maybe some other law, we don't need to get involved in that - or give MyBB that sort of name. So, I wouldn't really consider it harsh treatment. Trust me, it could have been worse and I've seen it worse on other forum software's forums.

And as far as "porting" themes from vBulletin to MyBB: I have no problem with him, or him doing this - as long as he has permission(which according to HostGator, he does). No need to drag this on.

Kind Regards.

(2009-02-20, 09:17 PM)Lopalong Wrote: [ -> ]

Quote:From the looks of this it seems that they are free templates for use. I would say go ahead and use them however since we cannot give permission for linking I would advise against that.

################################

Please feel free to use this page in forums, and to link to. Thanks for the email, hope the templates work nicely for you.

Actually, where does it say that you can re-release them?? It just says you can 'use' them. There's a big difference between using them and distributing them.

(2009-02-20, 10:01 PM)Mattalan Wrote: [ -> ]

(2009-02-20, 09:17 PM)Lopalong Wrote: [ -> ]

Quote:From the looks of this it seems that they are free templates for use. I would say go ahead and use them however since we cannot give permission for linking I would advise against that.

################################

Please feel free to use this page in forums, and to link to. Thanks for the email, hope the templates work nicely for you.

Actually, where does it say that you can re-release them?? It just says you can 'use' them. There's a big difference between using them and distributing them.

Good point.

I'll gladly re-release the theme, with a link to this thread or you can still download the Panglima theme and all my other themes from www.MyBBDesign.co.uk as it makes it easier for me. Thanks.

Your still converting the theme over though, and it says "use them how you like"

@ Mattalan and Tom

"Is it permissable to port your free themes to other forum software, and if yes, what are the conditions, if any?"

Nowhere has Hostgator added any other criteria, only that a link-back to this forum thread be added to qualify the use of them as one sees fit.

If you are having problems with that - Then I suggest that one of you contact Hostgator, point them to this thread and ask them to qualify their position exactly as you would like it written in a way that you too can understand.