Competitors who steal ideas

Discussion in 'Managing Your Online Community' started by Nick, Nov 21, 2009.

  1. Nick

    Nick Regular Member

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    Doesn't it irk you when competitors steal some of your ideas or implementations sometimes? There's nothing that can be done about it, really, but how do you handle it? Do you express your dissatisfaction with them, or do you just move on?

    Sometimes I actually think that if my concepts are worth being copied, they must be pretty good ideas. :P
     
  2. FullMetalBabe

    FullMetalBabe Zealot

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    I think it's almost the same as people trying to say a signature I made was made by them. I find it insulting but I also find it to be a compliment. :P I guess people must think you're ideas are bangin' if they take their time to 'steal' it.

    Personally, it does bug me a bit, buut what can I do? Confront them? About what!? That would certainly not stop much people from copying. :P
     
  3. Michael

    Michael Regular Member

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    The worst thing is seeing your ideas stolen especially by a larger forum thats competing as members will think they had the ideas first making you looking the copycat.

    Personally I dont care about it these days, we tend to take it as flattery now. Maybe admins should steal their competitors ideas back and improve on their ideas, now that would show em up rather than saying anything :D
     
  4. Ryan Ashbrook

    Ryan Ashbrook Regular Member

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    Could care less, really. The stuff implemented on my sites are pretty much all custom coded, so there is a highly unlikely chance that they'll actually get it right. :)
     
  5. David

    David Regular Member

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    QFT :hello:
     
  6. kneel

    kneel Regular Member

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    I had sum of my stuff copyed on another car forum...I was kinda bummed at first...but then kinda felt good cuz they wanted to be like me!
     
  7. Desu

    Desu Addict

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    I run a site revolving around creating programs for games, and I have a competitor that has for the last 3 years, stolen every update/idea I have done.

    The competitor has about 7 years of seniority on us, but we still manage to keep our forums more active in comparison =].
     
  8. BananaQueen

    BananaQueen Grand Master

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    not telling anyone ;)
    our competitor is paranoid about us stealing her ideas, but as if thats ever gonna happen cause their forum is just awful. whats worse (other than the text talk in forum descriptions and the section for guests that guests cant see) is that they think their forum is absolutely amazing.

    if anyone did try and steal our ideas, just think of a way to constantly be ahead of them and you will be better
     
  9. cpvr

    cpvr Regular Member

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    If they steal my ideas, then I do them right back and twice as hard. So, picture this, they steal my thread ideas; I steal their members and be more active.
     
  10. Webmist

    Webmist Champion

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    I take it as the best form of flattery. After all I have the original PSD files :)

    Truth be told I've taken a few ideals and morphed it into something even better, but I don't hide the fact the idea came to me while viewing something. I'll always admit to inspiration sources.
     
  11. Brandon

    Brandon Regular Member

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    It happens all the time, it should be a sign that you're doing something right. ;)
    I don't think anyone can honestly say they've never seen something on another site and gone, something like that would be nice on my site. :rolleyes:
     
  12. fattony69

    fattony69 Regular Member

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    I steal a lot of ideas for my forum. I just take your ideas and make them better. You can't lie to yourselves and say you haven't stolen an idea ever.
     
  13. Chani

    Chani Grand Master

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    I've "borrowed" ideas from AA and Nick's Linnie forum. ;)

    I had his permission, tho, and I'm not his competitor. :D

    Stealing good (or bad) ideas from your competitors is a common practice in any field, and there's no real way of stopping it, especially when it comes to freely available "ideas" or mods.
     
  14. Ryan Ashbrook

    Ryan Ashbrook Regular Member

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    Actually, the only idea I've gotten from other forums is the RPG Based money system, Stats, and Store. And really those are just standard add-ons for my type of forums. Only my forums are coded specifically by me. :)

    Everything else, that isn't from vB.org, is unique. Something I randomly cooked up in my crazy head. :)
     

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