Copyright Question

[ardentone]

I've been thinking of creating my own themes since I like to dabble in computer graphics. I have a question regarding copyright though. I've seen a lot of themes using copyright images such as Disney, Sports Logo's, etc. and I was wondering how this is done without infringing on any copyright issues. I've seen themes done with other people's artwork (scrapbooking sites, deviant art, etc) as well.

When creating a theme in Plazmic, is there a read me file that can be attached to the theme or anything that is similar to that to give credit where credit is due? I'd like to make sure that I'm giving proper credit to those folks who helped create a theme.

Thanks in advance!!

[scurvydlicious]

Originally Posted by ardentone

I've been thinking of creating my own themes since I like to dabble in computer graphics. I have a question regarding copyright though. I've seen a lot of themes using copyright images such as Disney, Sports Logo's, etc. and I was wondering how this is done without infringing on any copyright issues. I've seen themes done with other people's artwork (scrapbooking sites, deviant art, etc) as well.

When creating a theme in Plazmic, is there a read me file that can be attached to the theme or anything that is similar to that to give credit where credit is due? I'd like to make sure that I'm giving proper credit to those folks who helped create a theme.

Thanks in advance!!

I've only seen it happen a couple of times ( once: Pip-Berry v5000 Edition <-- pipboy was the name of the theme, and it had graphics taken right from the video game Fallout 3 made by Bethseda, this guy had to change the name of the theme and change the images so it doesn't look just like Fallout 3, still it's a good theme, but it doesn't feel like Fallout 3 anymore ).

Really the best you can do, is contact whomever holds the copyright and let them know you're creating a theme using some of their images. Most companies will not have any issues because it's like advertising, for free, no less. But, there are some jerks that may try to charge you royalties or are not willing to work with you at all.

As far as giving credits, there really is no readme file, but if you host the themes on your own website, or post links to your themes on forums like these, you can give credits to where the art came from. I've seen in at least one of KD's threads, where he gives credit to some website for providing the icons....

[jerde]

Yea, basically most companies don't care because it is free advertising to them.

Also, if you do want to contact the resource you are pulling from you can add a weblink to their website embedded in the theme. There is an options to do this in themebuilder.

[scurvydlicious]

Originally Posted by jerde

Yea, basically most companies don't care because it is free advertising to them.

Also, if you do want to contact the resource you are pulling from you can add a weblink to their website embedded in the theme. There is an options to do this in themebuilder.

Great idea, I hadn't thought about this, but it is easy to do

[ardentone]

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it

[Slvrbck]

I think this one is really going to depend on who owns the copyright to the content you are using.

I say this as I am a photographer by trade and have been a victim of copyright theft a couple of time.

My aproach now is that if anyone uses any of my photographs, they get an invoice in the post and if they don't pay, it's off to small claims court.

If people ask me if they can use the image (not tell me they are going to) I will 9 times out of ten let them, just as long as they leave my image intact and I get a copy of what every they are producing.