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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

#831

Post by Me1000 »

ping_pong wrote: post #825
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…

There was no ethical lines crossed. If you have proof that he copied code from your repo then that is illegal. But if he copied the idea, there's nothing ethically wrong with that. The one who crossed an ethical line is you. You can't protect ideas, only actual code. What is ethically wrong is bullying a former intern with legal threats. You need to learn this, I guess the hard way.

Not just legal threats, the whole line about being “the most demanding intern we’ve ever had” was an ad hominem attack that was completely out of line. It was cruel, mean, unnecessary, and unprofessional.

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

#833

Post by Abishek_Muthian »

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…

Instead of blaming the readers, Why not just explain the legal merits of your accusation on Radon?

>"Replit version had the same run button placement tho".

Seriously? Is this something to be expected from someone who claims to be an open-source evangelist? It seems like as soon as you received the email from Radon on his project, You sent it to your lawyers and asked them for few pointers to threaten this kid to take down a 'potential' competitor.

Besides, The funding related statements in your threat clearly motivates the reader to consider that you really don't have anything of legal merit to blame Radon of copying Replit.

P.S. We had a small exchange earlier last month[1] regarding your new cryptocurrency fund for small projects/startups, Which I eventually added to my curated list of startup tools after informing you. I'm removing that.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27135573

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

#834

Post by p5a0u9l »

What the CEO did was wrong. Full stop. He apologized, and even if insincerely to salvage a damaged reputation, this is, as far as I know, his first documented incidence of dickery. So, why are most responses in here so caustic? It's like we're projecting all animosity toward "big bad corporations" on this one person, which seems intellectually lazy to me. People have bad days - I wouldn't want a bad day to define me.

Maybe I'm wrong and this CEO is as ill-intentioned as there discourse seems. But, I'm not seeing that from the evidence given.

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

#835

Post by kevmo314 »

jfrunyon wrote: post #339
armchairhacker wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many attorneys offer free consultations, so OP (or anyone in a similar situation) should've contacted an attorney and asked them what to do. The attorney would know very well if he was in actual danger or the CEO was just bluffing.

I would expect the free consultation to be "Hmm, that depends. Can you give me a copy of any contracts you signed with them? Oh and $$$. Send me $$$ too."

Most professionals are pretty reasonable if you don't actually need their services. From handymen to lawyers, I've had people tell me I don't actually need them.

I mean I've also suggested at no cost that a site could be built on Squarespace instead of hiring a software engineer too...

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

#836

Post by ajna91 »

Wxc2jjJmST9XWWL wrote: post #767
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…

The lesson here is to ask people for advice before writing public statements (for one), and before threatening with lawsuits in private communication. 1) You apologize, but basically the other person did something wrong? 2) You invoke sympathy for being a "struggling kid from Jordan fighting for more than a decade to build something" ; so what? So now you're the victim? Your reaction to all of this is comedy gold. Hi…

You question the sincerity of his apology, then tell him to hire a PR firm.

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

#837

Post by Wxc2jjJmST9XWWL »

ajna91 wrote: post #836
Wxc2jjJmST9XWWL wrote: post #767

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lesson here is to ask people for advice before writing public statements (for one), and before threatening with lawsuits in private communication. 1) You apologize, but basically the other person did something wrong? 2) You invoke sympathy for being a "struggling kid from Jordan fighting for more than a decade to build something" ; so what? So now you're the victim? Your reaction to all of this is comedy gold. Hi…

You question the sincerity of his apology, then tell him to hire a PR firm.

> You question the sincerity of his apology, then tell him to hire a PR firm.

So? The wording of his apology leaves doubt about its sincerity, which (in addition to the whole ordeal to begin with) lets me believe he would greatly profit from training and advice on matters of communication.

I don't understand what you're trying to imply. That 'PR' automatically seems insincere somehow? Well, better a safely worded statement written by PR than a crude comment that lets your ego shine through, doesn't really remedy the situation and worsens it?

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

#838

Post by chandra381 »

Me1000 wrote: post #831
ping_pong wrote: post #825

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was no ethical lines crossed. If you have proof that he copied code from your repo then that is illegal. But if he copied the idea, there's nothing ethically wrong with that. The one who crossed an ethical line is you. You can't protect ideas, only actual code. What is ethically wrong is bullying a former intern with legal threats. You need to learn this, I guess the hard way.

Not just legal threats, the whole line about being “the most demanding intern we’ve ever had” was an ad hominem attack that was completely out of line. It was cruel, mean, unnecessary, and unprofessional.

Yeah what was up with that?
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