vBulletin Skins, Styles and Templates Discuss My Premium Skin Was Stolen in the vBulletinSetup Information forums; I like custom. I like unique. So, I had my good friend Vince make me a skin for my site. Luckily, I didn't have to pay him, so I am ...

[fattony69]

I like custom. I like unique. So, I had my good friend Vince make me a skin for my site. Luckily, I didn't have to pay him, so I am not that angry. The thing is, recently I went through my analytics to see where my traffic was coming from. Oddly, I was getting a lot of traffic from a vbulletin underground site that. With me being curious, I went on the site. Unfortunately, I had to sign up to search, so I did.

It turns out that someone ripped my skin completely and uploaded for people to use on their sites. Why would anyone do this, I do not know since all the links and the skin is setup completely for my site. Especially with a lot of the scripts and it is hardcoded to link to my site.

Let me google that for you

Kind of makes me want to bug my friend for a new skin :p

[popowich]

How stolen is it? Does it still require files from your site (hardcoded links) ?

You can make it harder for them to steal by locking down the style images folder so that it is only accessible when your domain is trying to load the files, and block all other referrers?

It might take a little tinkering but something along those lines should do the trick.

Of course they can come back and copy what they need and update the style, but at least you can get a little satisfaction out of making them work for it.

-Raymond

[Mikey]

Hmm..I downloaded The style (rapidshare link somewhere) to see the source and to see if it's hotlinking images.. and it isnt, so I'm afraid that theres not really much you can do about that, aside from changing your skin.. It's a nice design though. *deletes off HDD*

EDIT: BTW, Nice site, Signing up now, will wing you a PM on there, wanna ask something

[fattony69]

Originally Posted by popowich

How stolen is it? Does it still require files from your site (hardcoded links) ?

You can make it harder for them to steal by locking down the style images folder so that it is only accessible when your domain is trying to load the files, and block all other referrers?

It might take a little tinkering but something along those lines should do the trick.

Of course they can come back and copy what they need and update the style, but at least you can get a little satisfaction out of making them work for it.

-Raymond

It is stolen, but the links on like the header lead to my site and my personal modifications.

I do not know how to do what you said, but I like that idea. I rather make them work for it.

Originally Posted by Mikey

Hmm..I downloaded The style (rapidshare link somewhere) to see the source and to see if it's hotlinking images.. and it isnt, so I'm afraid that theres not really much you can do about that, aside from changing your skin.. It's a nice design though. *deletes off HDD*

EDIT: BTW, Nice site, Signing up now, will wing you a PM on there, wanna ask something

I was actually thinking of contacting my friend and asking him if he can make me have a few skins.

Thanks. Feel free to ask me anything.

[Cerberus]

Well if you are really worried about having cold stolen. Just encrypt it.

I have encrypted a few custom mods and codes over the years. I only do it when someone pays for it, but I would hate to have someone pay for something then someone come along and steal it.

Dynamic Drive DHTML Scripts- Source Code Encrypter

There is a nice simple one to use

Obviously you dont need to encrypt php, but if you add any custom html or such..This would help you from people snatching on them ..As for images..You can never secure images. You can do whatever you want and an image can be stolen within seconds.

[Lohgan]

I find large amounts of traffic each month from that "vbteam" site to my product demo board. My styles have also been "ripped", I've had to send an email to their host for removal of the files they assure me my content will be removed in a week. I can PM you the email address if you would like.

[r2k]

wow that is just sad..
sorry to hear that.. sucks having your unique style show up on millions of pirated boards.

[smacklan]

Originally Posted by Lohgan

I find large amounts of traffic each month from that "vbteam" site to my product demo board. My styles have also been "ripped", I've had to send an email to their host for removal of the files they assure me my content will be removed in a week. I can PM you the email address if you would like.

LMAO!!...sorry, but their host is just jerking you off, they could care less otherwise vbteam would have been closed down long ago If they have it, forget it, it's theirs and every other warez site on the net now.