Plagiarism!!!!
Plagiarism!!!!
(OP)
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say.
There are many many forums on the internet and an increasing number of web sites similar to Eng-Tips. Cheresources, is another authoritative site and I also browse Control.com.
But there are lots more and I find them usually when googling something.
I have found, as I'm sure we all have, I'm sure we all have, cross references to threads here.
But occasionally, when browsing these blogs I find similar questions raised there as here and find myself agreeing with some of the answers given.
BUT: and I guess others have found the same, when I find myself thinking "I agree with that answer." it seems rather familiar and then I realise it is my answer copied across almost verbatim.
I at first think it is kind of flattering to be quoted. But then I think I ought to be concerned because quite often I find the quotes are not attributed and there is no link to the original Eng-Tips thread so the bloggers can refer across and see the original question in context and review the entire discussion.
I'm not sure that how safe its is for my answers to be given even by myself, except that in this forum I have some confidence that others will jump on any errors I may make which allows me some confidence, but offered up by others in other threads to other questions.....???
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
There are many many forums on the internet and an increasing number of web sites similar to Eng-Tips. Cheresources, is another authoritative site and I also browse Control.com.
But there are lots more and I find them usually when googling something.
I have found, as I'm sure we all have, I'm sure we all have, cross references to threads here.
But occasionally, when browsing these blogs I find similar questions raised there as here and find myself agreeing with some of the answers given.
BUT: and I guess others have found the same, when I find myself thinking "I agree with that answer." it seems rather familiar and then I realise it is my answer copied across almost verbatim.
I at first think it is kind of flattering to be quoted. But then I think I ought to be concerned because quite often I find the quotes are not attributed and there is no link to the original Eng-Tips thread so the bloggers can refer across and see the original question in context and review the entire discussion.
I'm not sure that how safe its is for my answers to be given even by myself, except that in this forum I have some confidence that others will jump on any errors I may make which allows me some confidence, but offered up by others in other threads to other questions.....???
Anyone have any thoughts on this?





RE: Plagiarism!!!!
The web site that got me all hot and bothered is this one:
http://forum.cippe.net/
Its a Chinese web site and on inspection it looks like they have simply created this forum and to make it look well used and professional they simply ripped off lots of Eng-Tips threads.
Rather than use the original handles, they have assigned new handles on an ad hoc basis. That means my posts appear in different threads attributed to different (female) engineers.
It gets confusing because in some cases the text includes my handle but the poster is allegedly some newbie female; but a different one in different blogs. In other words I don't have one assigned identity in the thread. Its a bit like dubbing hollywood movies but John Wayne gets a different dubber in different films.
All very confusing till you realise they didn't bother to match the text references to handles to match the new handles they have assigned. So Skogs gets referred to in the posts and some one says thanks Skogs and you look for the post referred to but there is none by Skogs.
This is not only plagiarism on a grand scale but wholesale identity theft!
Then I'll see
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
htt
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Why is this no surprise in the land of counterfeit Gucci handbags and fake Adidas running suits?
"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
I got a little peeved the first time one member mentioned it, but now tis the weave of the net.
Fe
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
This site is pretty much doomed, given the number of useless postings. Most other ripoff sites tend to stick with copying ET verbatim and not have any junk postings. Having to sift through spam postings on software cracks and free credit cards will surely deter most serious engineers.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
I am more concerned when I find posts I strongly dissagree with, then find they are mine.
Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &
http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm
for site rules
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
I'm not sure just how many "serious engineers" are scouring Chinese engineering websites to begin with, counterfeit or otherwise!
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Now here is a thought. If the original material is copyright, maybe Google could blacklist any sites copying copyright material.... but what's in it for Google? I guess it ain't gonna happen unless search engines become liable for listing site which infringe copywright material. Something like the Mcafee contents warnings might do.
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Is the stuff we post here copyright?
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
That's ignorant... and hilarious.
V
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
At a guess we volunteer our responses but they are within a framework created by Eng-Tips and I'd guess Eng Tips does have some kind of protection that is good most places .....except China.
Be interesting to see what the site owners say about it.
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
http://www
www.Roshaz.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Unauthorized reproduction or linking forbidden without express written permission.
Do you mean this one?
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
It does not say who gives the express written permission.
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Can you imply stuff in a legal contract?
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
That is why different people make different interpretations of the same law.
Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &
http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm
for site rules
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Does that mean that if we post anything here we are in breech of copyright if we repeat that comment elsewhere?
Does posting here automatically surrender copyright to Tecumseh?
Does we retain any copyright in our own material? Did we somewhere relinquish copyright?
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
I get to be Jet Li.
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Yes you can. That's why we have lawyers.
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
jmw: No i do not believe we surrender our ideas once we post them here. This is a public forum and is understood that anyone can access it. I believe that is written in the mission statement of eng-tips somewhere - that it's a public forum. By posting information on this site you are basically proving that the information came from yourself, and not from the site. If you are not being paid, and have not entered into another contract with the site owner which shows consideration to you from the site own for postings made than nothing exists to show you have surrendered your ideas.
The reason the site owners have a copy right is because they have to do work and use their time to maintain this site so it can achieve its purpose. If people copy and paste parts of this site - including postings made by other people - than that is a liability to the site owners and they have the right to be compensated for that. In saying that, it usually isn't worth the time, energy or money to pursue legal action in those cases.
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
I don't see signficant harm done to the contributors (beyond being perturbed). The same thing happens offline often enough - how many times have you heard an idea or explanation you shared openly repeated (often poorly) without attributing the source? Repercussion of public communication.
If anything the site owners have something to lose in ad dollars and brand equity by losing web traffic which would be directed elsewhere based on content generated here.
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
I well recall attending a meeting at which a new scheme was put forward by some plank whose previous scheme had been shot down in flames. Most of them were.
This scheme was very much better received.
I recognised it as being mine but he failed to mention that.
I can tell you I was not amused and made it clear.
These things may happen but we don't have to like it.
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
> As for stolen ideas, we worked on a contract with a government lab, but nothing came of the initial effort and our briefings of a potential solution. Lo, and behold, many years later, I run across a patent with our idea, issued to the government employees we briefed, applied for about a year after our briefing. A mathematically sound idea, but not that practical, but still, should have at least gotten some credit for it...
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
My question was not rhetorical. Legalese is ugly and convoluted because nothing is left to the imagination. Contracts and waivers methodically specify who the affected parties are, and they methodically specify which party is responsible for each action.
People reading contracts and waivers can be pendantic as all heck, especially if the new interpretation suits them.
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
In general, the copyright hurdle prevents willy-nilly quoting from ET content, which allows many discussions to carry on unhindered. As with recent court cases about Justice Department internal memos and discussions, we, as engineers, may not want out-of-context, random, excepts from our own postings to be posted on the web by some "journalist" or blogger who's only interested in getting "buzz" for themselves and who has no concern about whether we look good or foolish.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East - http://www.campbellcivil.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!
JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
RE: Plagiarism!!!!