I used some images from a competitors site as a placeholder for my own while I was building it. They sent me a cease and desist order this morning obviously threatened. Damn it feels good to be blackhat.

oh you big boy

frame that bitch and put it up on the wall ... congrats

JQ

Originally Posted by Jonny Quick

Send them a bill for having been displayed on your site. Call it "site rental".

Hahaha

I followed up with them to inquire what exactly they were upset about. No response. Funny thing is that I am launching a competitor to their site with about as much money as it cost to have that lawyer write me that Email.

BHWFTW

The C&D should say what they are wanting you to do. Something like, the image with the image name "asdfas.png" located on your site "www.asdfasf.com/asdfasf.html" that looks like the following:



Is in direct violation of our copyright ...

If it doesn't look like that and is some stupid vague response, f them. Let them try to flex and scare you.

I got a copyright infringement notice this week for something that was on my site, a psychological something or other done by some psychologist. Lawyer says since no hits were recorded on the page and since I immediately pulled it, you only have to pony up $600 instead of the usual $1700. Read me the Copyright Act "blatant and aggregious violation..." stuff.

Originally Posted by Jonny Quick

Are you a person that might be dumb enough to pay?

I ask this because people are going to want to know this, in order to talk to you about it, and you didn't say one way or the other. Did your Lawyer advise you to pay? Does your Lawyer have any friends that dabble in the blackhat arts? Did he know about your site before you got the C&D?

I'm not joking.

First, I don't have a lawyer so that addresses about 3 of your questions. I'm working it out now with the attorney.

It was one thing on one of my sites; period. It wasn't blackhat, per se, it was merely something the psychologist copyrighted back in the 60s and this guy represents him.

What might you suggest?

Wow, he offered you a great deal. Now make him prove without a a shadow of a doubt that he truly is the lawyer of blah blah wateva. Lawyers don't usually cut deals on the first demand letter. In fact, it's usually the opposite. Usually they start high and then work their way down, and usually not in the first initial demand letter. Of course, I'm not a lawyer, so you may want to check with your legal counsel.

Originally Posted by StarkContrast

I got a copyright infringement notice this week for something that was on my site, a psychological something or other done by some psychologist. Lawyer says since no hits were recorded on the page and since I immediately pulled it, you only have to pony up $600 instead of the usual $1700. Read me the Copyright Act "blatant and aggregious violation..." stuff.

lol scam alert

Originally Posted by pwcbb11

lol scam alert

I did look him up and he is legit from the law firm of the publishing house. I did a Google alert search for the material in question and 2 more sites popped up just from the last day.

Originally Posted by Jonny Quick

Post Script:
Another idea. An e-book titled "How to Ask a Question: A Guide to Acquiring an Online Education", by Jonny Quick

Already been done http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

This one should be stickied in every forum lol

aren't you guys using offshore for everything now? Wouldn't worry about it OP, just write a nice mail saying "sorry my gf was helping me build the site and I didn't realise she didn't have permission for that exact image. Very sorry for the inconvenience, the image was removed and I hope your client has taken no offence by it... have a lovely day bla bla "

Then just ignore them, who the fuck would take you to court with that reply, any judge would tell them to get the hell out. Don't pay them a single penny.