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Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

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Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#41

Post by nomadomatic »

outworlder wrote: post #17
wlll wrote: post #5

Your new designer will be able to have a crack at an original homepage ;) http://i.imgur.com/fRI8Q.jpg http://i.imgur.com/KbQo0.jpg

So, these guys get YCombinator and other investors to give them $1.2M and they still have to rip off 37 signals' design. I wonder which startup got rejected in their place.

What if curebit copied highrise's product - not the design mind you, but the core functionality of the product - and used a completely different, original design to dress up the product? Would you throw a similar tantrum?

This is something that's always perplexed me. Companies copy other companies' business models and compete for the same customers all the time, but that's considered fair game. But if a design is copied, shit hits the fan.

Frankly, I'd rather someone copy my design and go after a diff niche of customers than copy my product and come after my customers.

To the guys at Curebit - ignore this noise. The focus should be on creating an awesome product, getting paying customers and generating profits. You guys have an awesome product and deserve the funding. Congrats :)

P.S. You should remove the hotlinks tho. No need to use their bandwidth.

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#43

Post by kingsidharth »

allangrant wrote: post #25
wlll wrote: post #5

Your new designer will be able to have a crack at an original homepage ;) http://i.imgur.com/fRI8Q.jpg http://i.imgur.com/KbQo0.jpg

Hey - I'm one of the founders of Curebit, and yes - it was a boneheaded move.. We had a different homepage, were a/b testing different pages, came across the 37signals post and were like 'wow we should see how that converts!' We are big fans of rails and what 37signals is doing and did not really think through the implications of what we were doing. We just kind of thought about it as a fun test to run. Clearly it wa…

Lesson to you: Make your own shit if you want credibility.

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#44

Post by keesmacklin »

nomadomatic wrote: post #41
outworlder wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, these guys get YCombinator and other investors to give them $1.2M and they still have to rip off 37 signals' design. I wonder which startup got rejected in their place.

What if curebit copied highrise's product - not the design mind you, but the core functionality of the product - and used a completely different, original design to dress up the product? Would you throw a similar tantrum? This is something that's always perplexed me. Companies copy other companies' business models and compete for the same customers all the time, but that's considered fair game. But if a design is cop…

Wait, so are you saying that we should be more outraged when business models and customers are stolen in a borderline illegal way? This is a valid point and we probably should be more outraged.

Or are you saying that it should be ok to rip off someone's design and hotlink to their assets?

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#46

Post by jamesau »

nomadomatic wrote: post #41
outworlder wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, these guys get YCombinator and other investors to give them $1.2M and they still have to rip off 37 signals' design. I wonder which startup got rejected in their place.

What if curebit copied highrise's product - not the design mind you, but the core functionality of the product - and used a completely different, original design to dress up the product? Would you throw a similar tantrum? This is something that's always perplexed me. Companies copy other companies' business models and compete for the same customers all the time, but that's considered fair game. But if a design is cop…

Agreed.

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#47

Post by jamesau »

comice wrote: post #23
wlll wrote: post #5

Your new designer will be able to have a crack at an original homepage ;) http://i.imgur.com/fRI8Q.jpg http://i.imgur.com/KbQo0.jpg

you can make the smallest viable product even smaller when you pinch designs and externalise the costs of your asset hosting!

LOL. Eric Ries would be proud.

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#48

Post by jcampbell1 »

wlll wrote: post #5

Your new designer will be able to have a crack at an original homepage ;) http://i.imgur.com/fRI8Q.jpg http://i.imgur.com/KbQo0.jpg

Thanks for that. Now I am far less sad about stealing Curebit's concept. Their idea is fantastic, but I found it easier to just copy the concept than integrate with their APIs.

Does anyone else find it strange that the article claims they have 1000 customers, and minimum pricing of $50/month, but they raised $1.2M? Why bother raising money if you are already close to a run-rate of $1M? My guess is they have closer to 1000 signups, not active 1000 customers.

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#49

Post by sachingulaya »

dmerfield wrote: post #34
allangrant wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey - I'm one of the founders of Curebit, and yes - it was a boneheaded move.. We had a different homepage, were a/b testing different pages, came across the 37signals post and were like 'wow we should see how that converts!' We are big fans of rails and what 37signals is doing and did not really think through the implications of what we were doing. We just kind of thought about it as a fun test to run. Clearly it wa…

Close, but no cigar: http://mee.la/28983

Wow, they copied both of their designs. Ouch.

Re: Curebit (YC W11) Raises $1.2 Million For Online Referral System

#50

Post by alexwolfe »

This is really upsetting for so many reasons. The intent to use these site designs took time and effort to implement. There had to be hours of time that they knew without a doubt they were stealing work they did not produce. To feign ignorance in this case in unacceptable.

Furthermore these guys have raised 1.2 million dollars. To think that someone in this position would raise that amount in capital and pull this kind of bullshit is offensive. This is a black eye for the valley.

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