Jump to content

Project Guitar, stolen info on eBay


Recommended Posts

Ah, I finally got his attention.

In addition to this happy news, I did a who is search on "betterbytes.net" and found that he registered the domain with twocows.com (tucows.com). Given the fact that this guy is selling stollen goods, that may be grounds for having his website closed down.

B)

Figures. Takes legal threats to get any action out of the guy. I hate that attitude. "Well, this guy asked me nicely to stop selling his stuff without his consent, obviously he can't be serious, so I'll keep doing it."

Getting his domain shut down for selling stolen goods is a great idea, but it shouldn't have come to that. His domain should've been shut down a long time ago because his web page is so UGLY! :D

Link to comment
  • Replies 307
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Yeah, Mike is a member of this forum, I’m he. I just got an email about this. I emailed the clown but I’ve come to this thread to see what my options are. It seems that I may have no real legal protection for my images but it just irks my butt that this guy is implying that my bass was made using his bogus instruction.

I will follow all the correct channels and options available to me before I jump on my hog and blast up to Georgia. I believe they use Lester Maddox’s signature axe handles to deal with this kind of problem up there, that’s showing my age not my acceptance of bigotry.

Mike

Well, interesting thing is.

the guy apparently lives in Buford.

Deliverance was shot in Buford (this was before Buford became home of the largest shopping mall in the southeast).

coincidence? I think not.

Link to comment

Hey, Mike, if I'm not mistaken, under US copyright law, you have statutory copyright on anything you produce that is copyrightable, until you either release it to the public domain or register the copy right, so he's still in violation. Not that axe handles and the odd soldering gun don't sound like an attractive option, but Georgia law enforcement doesn't have near the sense of humor they did in years past - somethin' about "damn yahnkees blowin' up th'Lympics".

Link to comment

A friend from another forum just informed me with the following statment;

"Actually it is illegal (a tort, not a crime) because your webpages are copyrighted by the act of you publishing them, and he's using them without your permission. But it's a civil matter, you would have to take legal action against him in federal court."

Still, not much of an option, by the time a few of the guys posting above get to him he won't have much left :o)

Link to comment

I have also found out that I can sue for illegal use of a "sound recording" only if it's registered with the library of congress. It's still copyright even without that, but to have the right to sue, it has to be registered with the copyright office.

Just another box to check. :D

BTW, welcome back "hushnel"

Link to comment

Whoa... this is usefull... Time to write a letter to where the site is registered to. Wish me luck.

Whois info for, betterbytes.net:

Registrant:

Better Bytes

2332 Doc Hughes Rd

Buford, GA 30519

US

Domain name: BETTERBYTES.NET

Administrative Contact:

Byers, Kench kench@bellsouth.net

2332 Doc Hughes Rd

Buford, GA 30519

US

4043128683

Technical Contact:

Domain Registration, Crankit domreg@crankithosting.net

3550 23 Ave

5

Lake Worth, FL 33461

US

561-366-1040 Fax: 561-547-6742

Registration Service Provider:

Crankit, Inc., domreg@crankithosting.net

866-842-9768

866-842-9768 (fax)

http://www.crankithosting.net

This company may be contacted for domain login/passwords,

DNS/Nameserver changes, and general domain support questions.

Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.

Record last updated on 15-Nov-2002.

Record expires on 13-Nov-2003.

Record Created on 13-Nov-2001.

Domain servers in listed order:

NS5.READYHOSTING.COM 63.99.209.103

NS6.READYHOSTING.COM 63.99.209.104

Link to comment
Some miscellaneous information I've just gathered:

The "email the bidders and tell them it's a rip off" plan won't work. His guitar auctions are private, so you can't see the bidders' email addresses. Clever, but shady and utterly dishonest. There's no valid reason for those auctions to be private, other than the fact that he knows he's doing something wrong.

Also, check out this page: http://betterbytes.net/internetlistings.htm

Scroll down to the "miscellaneous library set." He's selling the Lord of the Rings trilogy and 47 books by Stephen King. That's a copyright violation for sure - unless this guy is an authorized bookseller .. which, you know, is likely given his honest and upstanding nature. :D

i'm saying..just buy a thing..

in the feedback leave

"Ripoff. This information is available FREE @ www.projectguitar.com"

and tell the skateboard ramp guys to do the same.

And either actually pay for it, to see what exactly is included ..for evidence.

Or ..don't and take a lil negative feedback. B)

Link to comment
i'm saying..just buy a thing..

in the feedback leave

"Ripoff. This information is available FREE @ www.projectguitar.com"

and tell the skateboard ramp guys to do the same.

And either actually pay for it, to see what exactly is included ..for evidence.

Or ..don't and take a lil negative feedback. :D

That's a good idea, but who really wants to spend $5 + shipping to bust this guy? And I'd rather not take a negative feedback and ruin my perfect record just to bust a lowlife.

It is a good idea as a last resort, though, if we can't find an easy legal way to get him to stop.

Link to comment

Muahahahahaha I'm so evil!

Based on the suspicion that this guy is selling the LOTR collection when he is not authorized to do so, I sent an email to Tolkien Enterprises. I asked them if he was a valid bookseller and mentioned that I suspected he wasn't.

I'd do the same thing for the Stephen King works, but I can't get to www.stephenking.com right now.

If we can't find an easy legal way to get him to stop selling our stuff without permission, we can at least make his life hell, no? B):D

Link to comment
It is a good idea as a last resort, though, if we can't find an easy legal way to get him to stop.

I've got enough legal matter on him to at least stop the use of my material. Even if he pulls the auction, he still has sold the CD a few times. It's my plan to get everything I can legally claim from the past sales.

Still working on the details and all, but I'll get there. Slow a steady progress, just like carving a new guitar. Patience, and if you get frustrated, stop.

Link to comment
Muahahahahaha I'm so evil!

Based on the suspicion that this guy is selling the LOTR collection when he is not authorized to do so, I sent an email to Tolkien Enterprises. I asked them if he was a valid bookseller and mentioned that I suspected he wasn't.

I'd do the same thing for the Stephen King works, but I can't get to www.stephenking.com right now.

If we can't find an easy legal way to get him to stop selling our stuff without permission, we can at least make his life hell, no? B):D

The Tolkein Foundation should chew him up and spit him out. That's a good idea.

Link to comment
The Tolkein Foundation should chew him up and spit him out. That's a good idea.

Well, he MAY be an authorized seller. But I seriously doubt it.

And if he's selling the LOTR collection, which is 3 books [4 if you count The Hobbit], imagine what Stephen King's people will do to him for selling *47* books.

Link to comment
That's a good idea, but who really wants to spend $5 + shipping to bust this guy? And I'd rather not take a negative feedback and ruin my perfect record just to bust a lowlife.

I suggested fake accounts above, but I think Bill already has the guy balls to the walls...maybe when I get drunk tonight or tomorrow, though...

so long

ace

Link to comment
The Tolkein Foundation should chew him up and spit him out.  That's a good idea.

Well, he MAY be an authorized seller. But I seriously doubt it.

And if he's selling the LOTR collection, which is 3 books [4 if you count The Hobbit], imagine what Stephen King's people will do to him for selling *47* books.

Just contacted the webmaster on www.stephenking.com.

The tough part was limiting myself to 256 characters. That's hard for me to do on a good day. I probably ended up sounding like Robot on the fritz in Lost in Space by the time it was edited down enough. :D

I think Bill already has the guy balls to the walls...maybe when I get drunk tonight or tomorrow, though...

Just got off the phone with the sharks, erm, lawyers. He should get a nice letter in a few days. Legal fees, royaltees, oh this is going to be fun.

In the mean time, take a break and enjoy this to get your mind off it...

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Link to comment
Just contacted the webmaster on www.stephenking.com.

The tough part was limiting myself to 256 characters. That's hard for me to do on a good day. I probably ended up sounding like Robot on the fritz in Lost in Space by the time it was edited down enough. B)

Oops. That makes two the webmaster of Stephenking.com has gotten today. :D

Link to comment
I just recieved an email from ebay saying that the auctions I indicated as having my stolen images have been removed.

You mean like these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=38100

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=38100

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=38100

Looks to me like he has 11 auctions up. None have been removed and if anything he posted 3 more!

better bytes auctions

One thing you will notice is that the picture of the planarian guitar is gone, and there's a dead link to Vegetarian_Planarian.mp3.

At this point I really need to know what's on the CD. If there's a copy of Vegetarian Planarian on it, he's soooooo toast.

Keep on selling them Kench, but do not ask for whom the bell tolls.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...