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Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

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Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#751

Post by amasad »

ahmedalsudani wrote: post #712
amasad wrote: post #682

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was a clone of Replit that we made work at Codecademy. I started working on Replit (or repl.it) back when I was a student in Jordan. I didn't have a laptop so every time I wanted to get some programming done I had to setup a development environment at the university or at work. The idea for Replit was when you needed a repl to do some coding you should easily get one from anywhere including a mobile device. I th…

repl.it has been a project I've admired and recommended for a long time. The same can be said for many members of this community. A few reasons why there's so much anger, in my estimation: - When you support a project, you want its leaders to embody decent values. - You have always projected an image of someone who's "nice" and doing things right. You cannot bully your intern in private and keep that image. - Most im…

Thank you -- this is really good feedback.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#752

Post by nradov »

amasad wrote: post #682
tommoor wrote: post #634

> we’re also excited to announce one of the first (of many!) projects that Amjad has worked on with us: Codecademy Labs, the easiest way to play with JavaScript, Ruby, and Python online I'll just leave this here so we can all bask in the insane hypocrisy of this entire episode. https://www.codecademy.com/resources/blog/amjad-joins-codeca... Edit: See Amjad's response below – seems Repl.it may have pre-dated this hiri…

That was a clone of Replit that we made work at Codecademy. I started working on Replit (or repl.it) back when I was a student in Jordan. I didn't have a laptop so every time I wanted to get some programming done I had to setup a development environment at the university or at work. The idea for Replit was when you needed a repl to do some coding you should easily get one from anywhere including a mobile device. I th…

What is the specific legal accusation that you're making here? Contract violation? Copyright violation? Patent violation? Trade secret theft?

Ethical lines are not legally relevant.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#753

Post by 627467 »

fleddr wrote: post #708
oliverx0 wrote: post #692

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the email chain actually reveals the extent to which the blogger tried to salvage the relationship and the project, and how he was acting in good faith. Explaining that this communication happened with the CEO of the company is actually an important detail that should not be left out. I do however appreciate that one would expect private communications to remain private, but in this case I think it was warran…

I can't say I agree. He could also summarize what the company said, thereby placing the accusation at company level. It's a blog, not a legal document. Or, he could include the literal chat, yet blur the person's name and photo. I'd still object to that, but it's better. I fail to detect why to make his point, he needs to reveal full identity details. I consider it a nuclear option, but I guess others see it as just…

How effective is blurring Replit CEO's name? Come on: that this is the CEO of the company making the threat over a long thread of emails is 50% of the testimony. If this was 'product manager of Replit threaten legal action against my OS project' how impactful would it be?

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#754

Post by spoonjim »

uncomputation wrote: post #399
spoonjim wrote: post #28

I could understand an over eager lawyer but this is the CEO of a company with $20 million in funding personally threatening to sic the lawyers on a one man open source project. This is evidence that: 1) he doesn’t have anything better to do, bad news for Replit, 2) he’s afraid of this little project, also bad news for Replit.

I’m also gonna add that, if I invested in a company and the CEO used any fraction of that funding to crush a non-competitor with legal might, I would seriously regret my investment. It seems to me this guy doesn’t understand his own value prop more than a former intern.

Yep. At $20m raised, the CEO should be building product, closing customers, building positive press for the company (oops), and recruiting. Time spent on anything else is highly suspect.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#755

Post by morganvachon »

amasad wrote: post #682
tommoor wrote: post #634

> we’re also excited to announce one of the first (of many!) projects that Amjad has worked on with us: Codecademy Labs, the easiest way to play with JavaScript, Ruby, and Python online I'll just leave this here so we can all bask in the insane hypocrisy of this entire episode. https://www.codecademy.com/resources/blog/amjad-joins-codeca... Edit: See Amjad's response below – seems Repl.it may have pre-dated this hiri…

That was a clone of Replit that we made work at Codecademy. I started working on Replit (or repl.it) back when I was a student in Jordan. I didn't have a laptop so every time I wanted to get some programming done I had to setup a development environment at the university or at work. The idea for Replit was when you needed a repl to do some coding you should easily get one from anywhere including a mobile device. I th…

Edit: and just like that, threatened with legal action over my comment. Just like Radon I don't have the resources to fight a legal battle so I'm deleting my comment.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#756

Post by xenihn »

truetraveller wrote: post #743
simonhamp wrote: post #656

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cheaters always watching over their shoulder. How can you trust people if you know they can't trust you? Or worse, you can't trust yourself!

Simon, this is a wrong reply. Tone down the rhetoric a notch, please.

It's a valuable idea that everyone should keep in mind throughout their lives, and throughout their careers.

Same thing with people who speak negatively of others to you in private. Odds are they do the same thing, but about you, when speaking with others. If you confide something negative about someone else to them, they'll probably tell that person.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#757

Post by amasad »

Hey everyone, I want to apologize for the inappropriate use of power here. While I do believe there is an ethical line that was crossed here, I should have called him to understand his point of view and work it out. Which is what I'll try to do now, and see if we can get his project back up again. I'm sorry Radon.

The lesson for me here is to internalize how I'm no longer the struggling kid from Jordan fighting for more than a decade to build something, and that I now have a responsibility towards our community and supporters to be kind and model better behavior. I'm sorry I let you down and I promise to do better in the future.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#758

Post by chasebro »

amasad wrote: post #757

Hey everyone, I want to apologize for the inappropriate use of power here. While I do believe there is an ethical line that was crossed here, I should have called him to understand his point of view and work it out. Which is what I'll try to do now, and see if we can get his project back up again. I'm sorry Radon. The lesson for me here is to internalize how I'm no longer the struggling kid from Jordan fighting for m…

Wait, so after all that your position is that the intern is still in the wrong?

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#759

Post by Aeolun »

rizpanjwani wrote: post #707
amasad wrote: post #682

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was a clone of Replit that we made work at Codecademy. I started working on Replit (or repl.it) back when I was a student in Jordan. I didn't have a laptop so every time I wanted to get some programming done I had to setup a development environment at the university or at work. The idea for Replit was when you needed a repl to do some coding you should easily get one from anywhere including a mobile device. I th…

this is disappointing behaviour. are there any alternatives to repl.it one can recommend? I don't want to use it anymore.

I hear there’s this project called Ruji that has more than 200 languages.

Unfortunately it seems to be taken down.

Re: Replit used legal threats to kill my open-source project

#760

Post by elmo2you »

This sounds pretty much like straight up extortion to me. Threatening with abuse of the legal system (that is what this is, because those argument won't survive actual scrutiny) by someone with deep pockets, towards someone who clearly without those, is a serious criminal offence in my book. I mean literally criminal, not just morally or as a matter of speech. This isn't "just" bullying and this CEO does not deserve to walk away from this without damage. As far as I'm concerned, the only place this guy belongs is behind bars.
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