Update on Stolen Images from WebGuide4 Used In MediaPortal
Should it be any shock they never
released this application? Your probably
right though, nothing to hide on their part and clearly nothing was stolen in
this coverup which resulted in no application being released.
Update 3: Before commenting, remember that no one from
MediaPortal has contacted Doug or replied to his e-mails as of 04/04/2007 at 1
pm CST
Despite MediaPortal's
"mistake" saying they only “borrowed” the graphics, Doug
has posted more code samples in the comments of my other post. You can compare the code of WebGuide to the
code of MediaPortal and see the similarities.
As I have said, I’m not a programmer but I do understand a few of the basics
and I do see similarities in the two.
Feel free to compare. It’s hard
to not think that the code was lifted from WebGuide4 when you consider what
else they have admitted to already “borrowing.”
Doug also posted a follow-up to the reply by Frodo from
MediaPortal with
a post in his support forums
Doug: “I'm mystified
as to why I was not contacted by MediaPortal in the first place when they
wanted to "borrow" my work, and I'm having difficulty reconciling
Frodo's explanation with the extent of the "borrowing" that took
place. My entire library of images (more than 120 and the WebGuide
logo) were included in the MediaPortal site, my stylesheets are being
used, and the source-code is strewn with hardcoded pieces from my
HTML/ASPX pages. There's also some awfully familiar logic flows to the
layout. And the site was even called WebGuide! That's an awful lot
of "borrowing!" I am reassured that Frodo has stated that any
references to or infringements upon WebGuide's copyrighted material will be
removed from MediaPortal's site.
I've spent thousands
of hours over the past four years turning WebGuide into what it is today, and
it is discouraging and even a little mind-boggling to find that someone
has "borrowed" my work to jump start their own
product. I appreciate the Media Center communities' overwhelming support
and help in solving this issue. Developing for such an engaged and loyal
community is extremely satisfying, and I look forward to focusing on making
WebGuide an even better product.”
So, you can judge for yourself based on everything that has happened today. I see it as a huge problem, and MediaPortal's cover-up of the issue is an even bigger one.
Of course, Media Center users (MCE 2005/Vista) should check out WebGuide4. Download it here.
Update:
And so in contiues….The
MediaPortal Admin’s edited my post in
their forums to point to Doug’s forums instead of my blog. Not that I have a problem with people going
to Doug’s forums (I’ve linked to them several times today and have been
communicating with Doug too) but MediaPortal is now trying to cover up this
even more by forcing users to only see the information they want them to see.
Yeah, they have nothing to hide.
If they didn't want users to see their "mistake," the frist step would have been not to steal someone else's work. Be it a single image, line of code, or whole program.
Stop trying to cover it up MediaPortal guys, it ain't going to work.
Related:
MediaPortal
Steals Images from WebGuide4 Developer (Rips Off Program)
Updated:
Did MediaPortal Just Rip-Off WebGuide4?
Update 3: Before commenting, remember that no one from
MediaPortal has contacted Doug or replied to his e-mails as of 04/04/2007 at 1
pm CST.
Note: Original title read “Update on Stolen Code from WebGuide4
Used In MediaPortal”. Changed to reflect
known facts and too try and get MediaPortal supporters to answer my questions,
instead of avoid and ignore them. I’ll digress
on the code for now.
