Credit for BBCode Use

Mollisol

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Hello,

Is there an official Iwaku policy regarding using someone else's BBCode, or credit for using someone else's BBCode? Specifically:

I saw someone using a character sheet code from my Freebie thread, without crediting that I had made the code. (As seen in the OP of the thread, all of the code inside is free to use with credit.) I'm not happy about this, because I spent time and effort on that code, and I want people to know I created it. I considered messaging this person to say "hey, could you please credit me for the code I made?" But I thought it'd be a good idea to point them to any Iwaku policy that stated people had to give credit for others' code. However, when I checked the BBCode section of the FAQ, I could not find anything that would pertain to this situation. (Further, I'd rather not message that person if Iwaku has a policy like "any code is free to use without credit.")

Could someone please provide a clarification? Thanks!
 
I went digging, and Iwaku does not have an official policy on copying code. However, judging by a couple of old instances with a similar occurrence (from 2016 and 2017, specifically), I've been able to infer a bit about how this could be handled.

Note, Iwaku handles everything on a case-by-case basis, so just because this is what happened in the past doesn't necessarily mean it's what will happen now. :)

For the most part, we always encourage respect between users. However, unlike words, which can be arranged in an almost infinite combination, there are a very limited number of ways BBcode can be arranged and actually get the desired result. This can make it hard to tell when something is "referenced", "stolen", or simply "similar".
  • If someone has copy-pasted your code and the stuff inside the code (character sheet, templates, etc.) without notable changes (more than just a few color tweaks and different info filled into the template) it's probably plagiarism.
  • If the stuff inside is completely different but the code is identical, it's technically not plagiarism. Although you arranged it, the code itself isn't something you created, because you're using a known, public coding language to do it. However, if there's notable complexity to the code, out of respect for how much work that takes, we request people to give credit where credit is due.
  • If the outside result looks the same, but the code is arranged differently and the stuff inside the code is different, then it's either a reference, or it could even be merely coincidence. That's where the "limited methods to achieve a desired result" thing comes in. Having a picture over or next to a scrolling box is something lots of people could do. At that point, we'd probably rule "nothing stolen or plagiarized".
Additionally, you are always welcome to send in a report on the matter, if you'd like an official stance on the matter from staff. :)

Let me know if you have any other questions!
 
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I went digging, and Iwaku does not have an official policy on copying code. However, judging by a couple of old instances with a similar occurrence (from 2016 and 2017, specifically), I've been able to infer a bit about how this could be handled.

Note, Iwaku handles everything on a case-by-case basis, so just because this is what happened in the past doesn't necessarily mean it's what will happen now. :)

For the most part, we always encourage respect between users. However, unlike words, which can be arranged in an almost infinite combination, there are a very limited number of ways BBcode can be arranged and actually get the desired result. This can make it hard to tell when something is "referenced", "stolen", or simply "similar".
  • If someone has copy-pasted your code and the stuff inside the code (character sheet, templates, etc.) without notable changes (more than just a few color tweaks and different info filled into the template) it's probably plagiarism.
  • If the stuff inside is completely different but the code is identical, it's technically not plagiarism. Although you arranged it, the code itself isn't something you created, because you're using a known, public coding language to do it. However, if there's notable complexity to the code, out of respect for how much work that takes, we request people to give credit where credit is due.
  • If the outside result looks the same, but the code is arranged differently and the stuff inside the code is different, then it's either a reference, or it could even be merely coincidence. That's where the "limited methods to achieve a desired result" thing comes in. Having a picture over or next to a scrolling box is something lots of people could do. At that point, we'd probably rule "nothing stolen or plagiarized".
Additionally, you are always welcome to send in a report on the matter, if you'd like an official stance on the matter from staff. :)

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Alright, the second bullet is the case, so I will be sending the person a request for credit. Thank you for your clarification!