Notion Ink short on original notions
This saga began about a year ago. I created Enigma, a theme for a Windows app called Rainmeter. Enigma includes not only my work, but the contributions of over a dozen other artists and developers. Because of this, we released it under a Creative Commons license which explicitly prohibits commercial uses. This is the demo screenshot from deviantArt:
Cut to March of this year, when I stumbled upon the homepage of Notion Ink, an Indian company making tablet computers:
They didn't change a pixel. It's our theme, and they were using it to sell their computers. There was no attribution whatsoever, not even a caption, and as far as I can tell, they made no attempt to contact us. I sent them an email, and to their credit, they took the image down quickly. (Though they also had the gall to offer me a job.)
I thought that was the end of it, until this morning, when I learned that they were still using our screenshot - the same one, from 2009 - on Facebook, and as the background of their Twitter page. Both of these images appeared after they agreed to stop using our work.
What's most damning about this case is that their tablet, the "Adam," runs on the Android operating system, not Windows. Which means that it's completely impossible for them to be running this theme on the Adam (even if they had stolen it). The images were fabricated - probably because our stuff looks better than whatever they came up with.
I wonder what else in that little tablet is filched?
December 9th, 2010 - 11:41
I’m fairly certain both the Facebook and Twitter are fan made, so Notion Ink is not condoning their use of the image.
December 9th, 2010 - 23:26
“I’m fairly certain both the Facebook and Twitter are fan made, so Notion Ink is not condoning their use of the image.”
I’m fairly certain that’s not the case…
Facebook welcome page ends with “Regards, NotionInk Design Labs Pvt Ltd.,” And twitter “Name Notionink. Location Hyderabad, India
Web http://www.notionink.in...
And since the OP’s screen grab from March clearly shows Notionink using the image on their website, It would seem notionink created the image using Kaelri’s art themselves, so your statement they are not condoning the use of the image makes no sense to me at all, in fact is makes it all the more obvious it is them on facebook and twitter..
Bad notion.
December 9th, 2010 - 23:29
Who gives a fiddle fuck? jesus this website is up there with wikiweaks Total fucking shambles! lick my hairy ring hole!!!!!!!!
December 10th, 2010 - 00:54
why didn’t you take the job?
December 10th, 2010 - 01:41
Because I already had one. And because I didn’t feel like giving them for money what they had tried to steal for free.
December 10th, 2010 - 21:48
oh who cares
get back to work
December 11th, 2010 - 09:58
I care. I care about the original artist/creator of rainmeter, and also for potential customers of notionink, as they show it running rainmeter which the product is unable to do. Deceitful marketing on many levels. I would not touch the product with a barge pole, can you imagine the after sales support!
December 12th, 2010 - 20:03
To calm…and shut the f@&k up – mother f&5king pussy!
December 14th, 2010 - 07:23
Ugh – that’s so awful (and the tech specs you mention about the tablet make it even worse).
As always, the true weight of the rip is belied by the number of trolls posing as commenters giving “critical” “feedback”. Ignore.
Good luck—am sure you’ve reported it to FB and Twitter (which aren’t the most reliable), but you certainly have a strong and obvious case.
December 14th, 2010 - 22:34
Suck my cock!
December 14th, 2010 - 22:36
Sarah McNeil – your a sad bitch! You need to get a life.
December 21st, 2010 - 18:02
ha ha! thats crazy sh1t man! i wonder if they just show you pictures of the apps as well! ha ha ha!
January 17th, 2011 - 15:59
is it really necessary to mention the company is indian… as if being an asian company suddenly makes it lower class than an american company? would you have mentioned its origins if it were canadian or french or german?!
January 17th, 2011 - 19:00
@Kader, What a weird reaction to the article including the fact the product was from India. There was no hint of it having a derogatory meaning . Its just included as one of the facts of the case. In fact, you are the only one to interpret it this way. TBH I think you’ve got some serious issues there. You need to view India in a better light.
And yes, many other articles actually do mention the country of the rip, why shouldn’t they? Going back over the previous few posts, one is from a book in China, another some Jewellery spotted in Spain.
There is no race card to play here.
Strange.
January 18th, 2011 - 12:33
hmmm…western photographers in India seem to take as many pictures as they want without permission. I have been photographed twice by white people with oversize cams without permission. If that is how photographers are going to behave, well then.
January 18th, 2011 - 16:45
@ Ramakant…and this has to do with this article how?
Also, I think you’ll find photographers in general anywhere in the world seem to take as many pictures as they want without permission. Or are you somehow suggesting this as a defence for notion ink’s faked stolen, and misleading images? or as a reason for revenge?
Damned western photographers we will make you pay by marketing our product with fake design!!! mmmuuuhhhhahh!
Stranger.
(p.s. I too have been photographed by white people with oversize cams without permission.)
January 19th, 2011 - 04:19
Igxactly correct my friend, the second guy who took the pix didn’t get too far, I took a pix of him with my mobile camera and posted it on flicker after adding horns to his head. His picture was on the internet even before he got on his plane.
I think it is rude to take pictures of people without asking, these guys don’t even pretend to ask. So why should anybody ask them when using their pictures?
Yes it is payback time. Revenge is sweet, but its fruits are flicker….hahahahaa
January 27th, 2011 - 18:58
Kader,
I mentioned the location of the company because it determines what copyright law is pertinent to the case. If the company were Canadian, French or German, I would have described it as such. (The upshot is that my chances of taking successful legal action against Notion Ink are remote.)
February 2nd, 2011 - 17:22
I wouldnt say they thought it was better than what they made.. it was actualyl before they made anything.. you should be flattered.. and trust that is NOT what sold this adam…
February 28th, 2012 - 02:12
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