Yesterday I had an email from a company based in the UK. They had found that I had mentioned them on my website regarding a site I had done for them, while at tw2. They insisted I remove the logo (which is now out dated) and links to the sites, along with all existence of any references to the fact that I had ever worked on it, claiming "it is no longer relavent"!.
I have since removed the image and links, but will not, now nor ever, deny my involvement in a previous version of their site. It seems a bit petty to try and rewrite history, even when the acknowledgement was previously there, that I didn't work on the current version of the site.
However, it is interesting to note that although the website has changed, all my Javascript code is still being used on the current site. I haven't mention this to them, but should they try and get high and mighty they may have a legal case to answer to. Defamation of character perhaps?
The pettiness is only heighten by the fact that my site features quite well on the Google ratings, and with their insistence of removing links, their ratings will reduce. Okay not by much, but I would have thought a little site hiding in the corner of the internet, not proclaiming anything negative about the company, wouldn't have harmed the company. I won't be so favourable to them any more.
Re:Copyright
barbie on 2003-11-28T09:27:01
In the email the bod accepted that tw2 did the original work, but now claimed it has nothing to do with them. That's partly true, but interesting that they are still using at least the Javascript code I wrote for them. I doubt copyright would cover it, as tw2 doesn't exist anymore. Plus part of the deal with tw2 was that we supplied the code, giving them the ability to change it in the future.It's the fact that they wanted me to remove all mention of the fact that tw2 or I were involved in the redesign and development of the site several years ago, that gets me. I've change my site, but have yet to hear back from them.
Just to prove the fact that I was involved, the javascript has the following header:
The way the layers were created was quite a complex piece of Java on the serverside too, so I doubt very much they have replaced it. A bit sad that they are trying to throw their weight around when they clearly have no reason to.// Auto Loading Menus
// Menu handling javascript for DHTML applications
// Author: Barbie (barbie@tw2.com)
// Copyright (C) 2000 tw2.comRe:Copyright
2shortplanks on 2003-11-28T10:15:38
Botheration, I actually just read the law itself.Moral rights, section 79, 2a states:
So, darn, no you don't have moral rights to be identified as the author. I don't like this law - I think that a computer programme is just as expressive as an artistic work and copyright should protect my rights to be identified.(2) The right does not apply in relation to the following descriptions of work—
(a) a computer program;
