Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Plagiarism: My Pattern Was Stolen!

I hate to have to write about this. We read about it all the time, but never think that "it could happen to me." What happened?

I wrote my pattern years ago, for the Half Granny Square:

http://www.geocities.com/riverglorious/Patterns/halfgrannysquare.html

This person stole my pattern:

http://anastaciaknits.blogspot.com/2007/06/alpaca-shawl.html

Look at what Copyscape wrote:
This cached page has 79 words matching your text, as highlighted below by Copyscape.

Been copied? Defend your site with aProtected by Copyscape banner.

Visit this page See whois info See text on your page Responding to web plagiarism

And the highlighted words are the word for word stolen part of my pattern, which was practically the gist of it:

Row 1- Chain 3, make 3 double crochet in the ring, chain 2, then four more double crochet. Ch 3 and turn.
Each 3 double crochet group is called a shell.
Row 2- Make 3 double crochet IN BETWEEN the first and second double crochet of the previous row. Skip three double crochet, work in your chain 2 space the following: (Shell, chain 2, Shell), SKIP NEXT 3 double crochet, make 4 double crochet in the space BETWEEN the 3rd AND 4TH double crochet. Chain 3 and turn.

Row 3 - Make 3 double crochets in between each shell, as before, and make 4 double crochets in the last group. Ch 3, and turn.


I like it when people use my patterns, THAT'S what they are there for! That's why I posted them for free on the net, so that they can use them. But to copy and paste instructions, even if you add some of your own, to a pattern and then say you designed it is WRONG!

I already left a comment, but nothing has happened. I think the blog was perhaps abandoned? There's another lady who also stole from me, PART of one of my bun holder/cover patterns. I wrote to her 3 times already and nothing. I'm waiting until Thursday and then I will write to her blog provider and see if they will take that post down.

Even if you change the written out instructions to abbreviations, it is STILL COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. In other words, you stole it.

Here's my proof, directly from my filemanager page:



Name
Last Modified (GMT)
Size (KB)
halfgrannysquare.html View February 02, 2003 Stats 3


pompbun.html View February 02, 2003 Stats 3

pompbun.jpg View September 29, 2002
15

Here's a copy of the letter I wrote to the second person:

Dear Susan: I have been monitoring my site (http://www.geocities.com/riverglorious/) for plagiarism of my patterns, and copyscape found this: http://www.copyscape.com/view.php?o=28294&u=http%3A%2F%2FI TOOK OUT THE URL OUT FOR NOW &t=1204952630&s=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geocities.com%2Friverglorious%2FPatterns%2Fpompbun.html&w=28&c= In case you cannot go to the link because it's too long, CLICK HERE. Copyscape detected that the highlighted parts of one of your patterns, the Sunflower Bun Cover, is partially based on one of my patterns. I'm writing because, as you can see, your pattern is based on mine: http://www.geocities.com/riverglorious/Patterns/pompbun.html I don't mind people being inspired by my patterns, but to outright copy my instructions is not acceptable. I'm asking you to modify your pattern by stating that the cluster section is based on my pattern, which, you will see is practically word-for-word what I wrote back in 2002. I already made a copy of your page, which will automatically have the creation date of the file, and am prepared to send it to google.com for verification. My page I have left intact for date of creation verification. I have worked hard to write down simple patterns, in plain English, for beginners, and am not willing that people will take that work and claim as their own. Please modify your copyright on the pattern. You yourself wrote in your post: You may use this pattern for your own personal use only. You may not claim it as your own or post it on your website or blog. You may not sell this pattern or include it in any form for personal gain. You may post a link to download a copy of the pattern on your blog or website. The link is http://www.I TOOK THE ID OUT HERE FOR NOW.blogspot.com/. You may use the pattern to make items for your own personal use or as gifts, but items made using this pattern may not be sold. Thank you!

Be advised that I am monitoring all of my patterns, so any similarity, even if changed to abbreviations of my patterns, will be reported to the proper authorities. I'm sorry to have to write this, because you seem to be a nice person, and you yourself use copyscape, too. Mrs. Rivera NOW, here's the second letter I wrote to her:

Note: forwarded message attached.

I wrote to you last weekend about you having used part
of my pattern to make your sunflower bun. I have not
heard from you. If I do not hear from you in 3 days,
I will have to take further steps to ensure that you
do not use my copyrighted instructions and claim them
as your own.

Please write within the next 3 days. I'm sure we can
come to an agreement. This is the pattern you based
your cluster round on:

http://www.geocities.com/riverglorious/Patterns/pompbun.html

Copyscape indicated that you copied the cluster round
practically word for word. Remember that even using
abbreviations is still infringement.

I'm hoping to get an answer from her soon. You can see that the picture of the bun holder was upload in September 29, 2002! Like I said, I hate, absolutely HATE doing this, but it's wrong to steal, and taking a pattern, even part of one, and claiming it as your own, is wrong.

Thanks for reading this!

UPDATE April 8, 2008
To let you all know that the second person took down her pattern. She didn't know she was doing anything wrong, and you know what? I believe her! I told her that I don't mind her using part of my pattern for hers, as long as she acknowledges the part she used from mine. It's really a pretty pattern and I'm going to ask her to put it back up and share it. She's a very nice lady and I admire her for doing what's correct and right. Thanks for reading this!

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