Shared Common Usage Code

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Adam Howard

Well-known member
How would you define shared common usage code?

As I have always understood it......

Shared common usage code is defined as code in which is commonly used or impossible to avoid using if you want X result.

For example if you were coding in HTML 4 and you wanted to post a photo

PHP:
<img src="happy.gif" />

The above example is your only alternative. You could make some alterations such as

PHP:
<img src="happy.gif" alt="Happy face" />

But generally speaking, you could not avoid using the base of that code in HTML.

Everything you code for today no matter if it is in HTML, CSS, php, MySQL, ect... ect... Has some form of base code or common usage code which is unavoidable... ie... if you want X result you must use Y source. Period.

When coding or styling for a pre-made, pre-defined product your options are even less. This is because you must code within the confines of that products base code. And so you will run into more shared common usage code because yet again you must use the predetermined X code in order to achieve the desired Y effect.

For example in XenForo, let's assume you wanted to use an image in the moderator bar

PHP:
#moderatorBar
{
    background: @primaryDarker url('/IMAGE.gif') repeat-x center !important;
    border-bottom: 1px solid @primaryDark !important;
}

The above example is your only alternative.

You could make some alterations such as the spacing and the alternative colors

PHP:
#moderatorBar
{
    background:  #555555 url('/IMAGE.gif') repeat-x center !important;
    border-bottom: 2px solid #000000 !important;
}

But you would still be using the predetermined shared common usage code... ie... In order to achieve X you must submit to using the base code of Y.

This is what defines shared common usage code.


How would you define shared common usage code ?
 
shared common usage code is one thing, but it can always be typed differently which is what gives the rippers away, for example naming classes/id's differently, and using different syntax when typing

Code:
.header-code { padding: 15px; margin: 5px; width: 300px; background: #fefefe ('url') no-repeat; }

Can be coded many different ways

Code:
.header-code { margin: 5px;
width: 300px;
padding: 15px;
background: #fefefe;
background-image: whatever;
background-repeat: every where;

So would you consider that shared common usage too?
 
I think that if you're Anonymous, you don't have to follow any rules.

Off topic....

You know it's ironic that you say that....

I notice people get more cr*p for trying to be legit than they do when they make it their own way. Sometimes you can't help but stop and think to yourself, why bother?!

It sometimes does seem a lot easier when you didn't care about such things.
 
Let us keep this on topic. What is your thoughts on what counts as shared code?


<img src="xxx" /> sure... common code...

Copying space for space # for #, comments for comments I would not see as "shared common usage code".

The blue is on the right side is copied identical code, the red bars on the right show the what's currently in the viewing panel. As you can see... almost the entire document is copied.

css-png.34151



Defending this well is just silly.
 
Defending this well is just silly.
I agree with Russ, the fact that the lines and CSS comments match exactly would indicate the code was indeed borrowed from another style. There's really no way around that, at all.

Whether borrowing is allowed or fair is between you and the guy you borrowed it from.

I can only speak for myself but it honestly just annoys me that this continues to be dragged out into the community here. Nobody should have to divide themselves into 2 camps because you guys couldn't work it out in private.
 
Shared code is what everyone uses such as CSS and HTML stuff, PHP is something else. With HTML and CSS you only have x possibilities to show something but color scheme can be copyrighted and the "alt" text can be to if its unique, not everything that is written is automatically copyrighted, some creativity need to be included. Pictures and such that you make your self that's copyrighted if you did not use an alternative source. The HTML and CSS is nice examples the CSS it self all there is but the combination of color with picture can be protected. As for taking CSS and HTML code and alter color for example then the new code is a deviated form and that can be a copyright violation it depends on the license if no license is given you need to ask permission.
Now if you where to take pictures of a website and rebuild this from scratch so write your own code and make your own pictures then it should be all right because the end result is not 100% the same, also i made it by my own.

But you need to be careful what you are doing if in doubt don't and ask for legal advice and not on the internet and not on a forum. You can destroy your self or even the website you post the copied code on.
 
This the extra.css of Social

PHP:
/*--- XenPorta CHANGES ---*/
 
.EWRporta_Portal .section:first-child
{
    margin: 5px 5px 10px !important;
}
 
/* Custom Properties */
 
/* LOGIN_BAR.CSS */
 
#loginBar
{
background-color: @primaryLightish !important;
color: @secondaryLightest !important;
border-bottom: 1px solid @secondaryLightest !important;
}
 
#loginBar a {
    color: @faintTextColor !important;
}
 
#loginBar .textCtrl
{
background: @textCtrlBackground !important;
color: @textCtrlText !important;
}
 
#loginBar .textCtrl:focus
{
background: #ffffff url('@imagePath/xenforo/gradients/form-element-focus-25.png') repeat-x !important;
 
}
 
#loginBar #loginBarHandle
{
        font-weight: bold;
background-color: @primaryLightish !important;
box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px @secondaryDarker !important;
}
 
#moderatorBar
{
background: @primaryDarker url('styles/skinden/social/xenforo/gradients/cat-bg.png') repeat-x center !important;
border-bottom: 1px solid @primaryDark !important;
}
 
#moderatorBar a,
#moderatorBar .itemCount
{
color: @secondaryDarker !important;
}
 
#moderatorBar a:hover
{
background-color: @secondaryLightest !important;
color: @primaryMedium !important;
}
 
.Menu .menuHeader
{
    @property "menuHeader";
    background-color: @secondaryLightest;
    @property "/menuHeader";
}
 
/* BEGIN-NAVIGATION.CSS CHANGES*/
.navTabs .navTab.PopupClosed .navLink
{
color: @primaryLightish ;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.selected .navLink
{
        color: @primaryLightest !important;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.PopupClosed:hover
{
    background-color: @primaryLighterStill;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.PopupClosed .navLink:hover
{
color: @primaryLightish;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.PopupOpen .navLink
{
    color: @secondaryDarker;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.PopupClosed .arrowWidget
{
        @property "popupArrowClosed";
        background: transparent url('@imagePath/xenforo/xenforo-ui-sprite.png') no-repeat -32px 0;
        margin-top: -2px;
        margin-left: 2px;
        display: inline-block;
        *margin-top: 0;
        vertical-align: middle;
        width: 16px;
        height: 14px;
        @property "/popupArrowClosed";
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.selected .tabLinks
{
        background: url("styles/skinden/social/xenforo/gradients/cat-bg.png") repeat-x center #00243E;
background-position: 0 !important;
}
 
/* END-NAVIGATION.CSS CHANGES*/
 
.subForumsPopup .PopupOpen .dt
{
color: @primaryLightest !important;
}
 
.sidebar .section
{
    margin: 5px;
}
 
/* BEGIN-ACCOUNT.CSS CHANGES*/
.accountSideBar a:hover
{
background: @secondaryDarker url('@imagePath/xenforo/gradients/category-23px-light.png') repeat-x top;
}
 
.accountContent .xenForm
{
    background: @primaryLightest;
    padding: 10px;
    border-radius: 7px;
}
 
.accountContent .section .sectionMain
{
    background-color: @primaryLightest !important;
}
 
/* END-ACCOUNT.CSS CHANGES*/
 
/* BEGIN-MESSAGE_X.CSS CHANGES*/
.messageSimple .comment, .messageSimple .secondaryContent
{
    background: url('styles/default/xenforo/gradients/category-23px-light.png') repeat-x top #e0eefb !important;
}
 
.messageSimple
{
        border-bottom: 1px dashed @primaryLighterStill;
}
 
 
/*------------------------------------*/
/* BEGIN-FOOTER.CSS CHANGES */
.footer a,
.footer a:visited
{
color: @faintTextColor;
}
 
#copyright
{
        text-align: left;
color: @faintTextColor;
}
 
#copyright a
{
        text-align: left;
color: @faintTextColor;
}
 
#legal a
{
    color: @faintTextColor;
}
/* END-FOOTER.CSS CHANGES */
/*---------------------------------------*/
/* BEGIN-OVERLAY.CSS CHANGES */
 
.xenOverlay #jumpMenu .jumpMenuColumn
{
    background: @primaryLightest;
}
 
.xenOverlay #jumpMenu .nodeList {
    border-radius: 0;
}
 
.xenOverlay .section,
.xenOverlay .sectionMain
{
border-color: {xen:helper rgba, @overlaySection.border-color, 0.65} !important;
}
 
.xenOverlay .section .sectionFooter,
.xenOverlay .sectionMain .sectionFooter
{
        background: @secondaryLightest;
}
 
.chooserColumns li a:hover
{
background-color: @secondaryDarker;
}
 
/* END-OVERLAY.CSS CHANGES*/
/*------------------------------------*/
 
.xenOverlay.memberCard
{
background: transparent url(styles/skinden/social/xenforo/overlay/member-card.png) !important;
color: @secondaryDarker !important;
}
 
 
/* BEGIN-FORM.CSS CHANGES */
 
.formPopup .advSearchLink
{
        color: @secondaryLightest;
background: @primaryLightish url('styles/skinden/social/xenforo/gradients/cat-bg.png') repeat-x center;
}
 
/* END-FORM.CSS CHANGES */
/*------------------------------------*/
/* BEGIN-EVENTS.CSS CHANGES */
 
.event,
.event.forceBorder:first-child
{
    border-radius: 5px;
    margin-bottom: 2px;
}
 
/* END-EVENTS.CSS CHANGES */
/*------------------------------------*/
/* BEGIN-MEMBER_VIEW.CSS ---- NOTE REDUNDANT AS OF BETA-5 Not calling on EXTRA.CSS template.*/
 
/* Not sure what happened here, worked fine before XF-1.1b5 */
/*.profilePage .main
{
    border-left: none !important;
}*/
 
.profilePage .mast .shareControl
{
margin-top: 20px !important;
}
 
.profilePage .primaryUserBlock .mainText
{
              border-radius: none !important;
              background: #e0eefb url('styles/default/xenforo/gradients/category-23px-light.png') repeat-x center top !important;
}
 
.profilePage .primaryUserBlock
{
border-top: none !important;
}
 
.textWithCount.subHeading .count
{
background-color: @secondaryDarker !important;
color: @primaryDarker !important;
}
 
/* END-MEMBER_VIEW.CSS */
 
.formPopup .controlsWrapper
{
background: @primaryLightest url('@imagePath/xenforo/gradients/category-23px-light.png') repeat-x top;
}
 
.dataTable tr.dataRow th
{
background: @primaryLightish url('styles/skinden/social/xenforo/gradients/cat-bg.png') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.importantMessage
{
color: @secondaryDark !important;
border: solid 1px @primaryLighterStill !important;
}
 
.importantMessage a
{
color: @secondaryDark !important;
}
 
And this is the extra.css of Socially Uncensored

PHP:
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
/*START of SOCIALLY UNCENSORED skin code*/ /* */ /*SociallyUncensored.EU*/ /* */
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
/*Hello fellow developer*/ /* */ /*You're welcome to share this with everyone*/
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
/*IF ANY, shared common usage code for XenForo is the property of XenForo Ltd*/
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
/*http://www.sociallyuncensored.eu/forums/threads/shared-common-usage-code.15293*/
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
 
.EWRporta_Portal .section:first-child
{
    margin: 5px 5px 10px !important;
}
 
.nodeList .categoryForumNodeInfo, .nodeList .forumNodeInfo, .nodeList .pageNodeInfo, .nodeList .linkNodeInfo {
    background-color: #D4E1EE;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #0B5992;
    padding: 0;
}
 
.nodeList .linkNodeInfo {
    background-color: #D4E1EE !important;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #0B5992;
    padding: 0
}
 
.categoryStrip {
font-size: 11px;
color: #D4E1EE;
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.breadcrumb .crust .arrow {
    -moz-border-right-colors: #0B5992;
}
 
.breadcrumb .crust .arrow span {
    -moz-border-right-colors: #f0f7fc;
}
 
.messageUserBlock .arrow {
    -moz-border-right-colors: #d7edfc;
}
 
.messageUserBlock .arrow span {
    -moz-border-right-colors: #f0f7fc;
}
 
#moderatorBar
{
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
border-bottom: 1px solid #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.selected .tabLinks
{
        background: url("styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif") repeat-x center #0B5992 !important;
background-position: 0 !important;
}
 
.formPopup .advSearchLink
{
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.dataTable tr.dataRow th
{
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.navTabs {
font-size: 11px;
background-color: #001630;
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.titleBar h1 {
color: #D7DCE1;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.PopupClosed .navLink {
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.node .nodeInfo.primaryContent, .node .nodeInfo.secondaryContent {
padding: 0;
background: #D4E1EE;
}
 
#SignupButton .inner {
color: #D7DCE1;
}
 
.discussionList .sectionHeaders {
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.thread_view .threadAlerts {
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.message .messageText, .message .signature {
background: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.message {
background: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.selected .tabLinks a {
font-size: 11px;
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.navTabs .navTab.PopupClosed .arrowWidget
{
        @property "popupArrowClosed";
        background: transparent url('@imagePath/xenforo/xenforo-ui-sprite.png') no-repeat -32px 0;
        margin-top: -2px;
        margin-left: 2px;
        display: inline-block;
        *margin-top: 0;
        vertical-align: middle;
        width: 16px;
        height: 14px;
        @property "/popupArrowClosed";
}
 
.bbCodeEditorContainer
{
    background: #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.sectionMain
{
    background: #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.message .messageText, .message .signature {
color: #001630;
}
 
.primaryContent {
background-color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.Menu .menuHeader h3 {
color: #001630;
}
 
.discussionListItem .main, .discussionListItem .lastPost {
background: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.pairsInline dl, .pairsInline dt, .pairsInline dd {
display: inline;
color: green;
}
 
.breadcrumb .crust a.crumb {
line-height: 24px;
color: #1B3B6B;
}
 
.linkGroup a {
padding: 3px 0;
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
body {
color: #001630;
}
 
#moderatorBar .itemLabel, #moderatorBar .itemCount {
display: inline-block;
height: 16px;
line-height: 16px;
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.baseHtml h1, .baseHtml h2, .baseHtml h3, .baseHtml h4, .baseHtml h5, .baseHtml h6, .baseHtml strong {
font-weight: bold;
color: black;
}
 
.footer .pageContent {
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.footerLegal .pageContent {
background: #0B5992;
}
 
.xenForm {
background: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.tabs li a, .tabs.noLinks li {
color: #D4E1EE;
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.subHeading {
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}
 
.accountSideBar .heading {
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.xenOverlay.memberCard
{
    background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/overlay/member-card.png') no-repeat !important;
color: white !important;
}
 
.xenOverlay.memberCard a.close
{
        background-image: url("styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/overlay/close.png") !important;
color: white !important;
}
 
#loginBar
{
background-color: #0B5992 !important;
color: #65A5D1 !important;
border-bottom: 1px solid #65A5D1 !important;
}
 
#loginBar #loginBarHandle
{
        font-weight: bold;
background-color: #65A5D1 !important;
box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px !important;
}
 
#loginBar #loginBarHandle
{
        font-weight: bold;
background-color: #65A5D1 !important;
box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #65A5D1 !important;
}
 
.sidebar .section
{
margin: 5px;
}
 
.accountContent .xenForm
{
    padding: 10px;
    border-radius: 7px;
}
 
#copyright
{
text-align: left;
}
 
#copyright a
{
text-align: left;
}
 
.xenOverlay #jumpMenu .nodeList {
border-radius: 0;
}
 
.event,
.event.forceBorder:first-child
{
border-radius: 5px;
margin-bottom: 2px;
}
 
.profilePage .mast .shareControl
{
margin-top: 20px !important;
}
 
.searchResult .contentType {
color: #1B3B5E !important;
}
 
.searchResult .snippet a {
color: #1B3B5E !important;
}
 
.lnblogEntryMessage {
color: #1B3B5E !important;
background: #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.lnblogComment {
color: #1B3B5E !important;
background: #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.primaryContent a {
color: #1B3B5E !important;
}
 
.xenOverlay.memberCard .userInfo .status {
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.xenOverlay.memberCard .userInfo h3 a {
color: #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.sidebar .section .primaryContent h3, .sidebar .section .secondaryContent h3, .profilePage .mast .section.infoBlock h3 {
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.sidebar .section .primaryContent h3 a, .sidebar .section .secondaryContent h3 a {
color: #D4E1EE;
}
 
abbr, acronym {
color: #969696;
}
 
.thread_view .threadAlerts dt {
color: #1B3B5E !important;
}
 
body .faint, body a.faint, body .faint a {
color: #969696;
}
 
#AccountMenu .menuHeader {
background: #D4E1EE !important;
}
 
.lnblogProfileEntry {
background: #D4E1EE;
}
 
.larger.textHeading, .xenForm .sectionHeader {
color: #0B5992;
}
 
.thread_view .threadAlerts dd {
color: white !important;
}
 
#QuickSearch {
background: none !important;
}
 
.node .nodeDescription {
color: #001630 !important;
}
 
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
/*END of SOCIALLY UNCENSORED skin code*/ /* */ /*SociallyUncensored.EU*/ /* */
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */
/*A nice friendly shout out to KAM of XenForo*/
/* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */ /* */

Where in this do you see exclusive copy written code that belongs to exclusively owned by the developer of Social or Socially Uncensored?
 
Shared code would have to be explicit, not implicit or presumed. Obviously you have stepped on some toes. The solution is simple... ask the author before copying their alleged "shared common code."

You are confusing a process with a result. It seems like you are arguing that copying code is OK if original code would be necessarily similar. It's a weird tortured kind of logic. I envision applications like, "If I want to create a style that is similar to an existing style then it's OK that I use some of their code because my desired result is similar." It's circular and self-justifying, and I am tired of dealing with these manufactured controversies of yours.

Ask the author before copying their code. Simple. Or if the result is similar then you can get there on your own without copying some one else. Don't assume anything is shared. This should be obvious. And you need to learn to handle these challenges on your own instead of always asking us moderators to make a ruling. You have basically admitted to copying under the justification that the code is "shared" and "common", which apparently it is not since you are being challenged.
 
Shared code would have to be explicit, not implicit or presumed. Obviously you have stepped on some toes. The solution is simple... ask the author before copying their alleged "shared common code."

You are confusing a process with a result. It seems like you are arguing that copying code is OK if original code would be necessarily similar. It's a weird tortured kind of logic. I envision applications like, "If I want to create a style that is similar to an existing style then it's OK that I use some of their code because my desired result is similar." It's circular and self-justifying, and I am tired of dealing with these manufactured controversies of yours.

Ask the author before copying their code. Simple. Or if the result is similar then you can get there on your own without copying some one else. Don't assume anything is shared. This should be obvious. And you need to learn to handle these challenges on your own instead of always asking us moderators to make a ruling. You have basically admitted to copying under the justification that the code is "shared" and "common", which apparently it is not since you are being challenged.

I think you completely misunderstand me totally.

1) I never asked for the staff to get involved. In fact, I was happy with you staying out of it. But someone within the staff did get involve and so there opens the door.

2) My argument is that the code in question does not belong to either the developer of Social or myself. In fact, technically, the code used belongs to XenForo Ltd and is used any time someone here makes a skin.

PHP:
.navTabs {
background: url('styles/sociallyuncensored/theme/images/contentmiddle.gif') repeat-x center !important;
}

^ That for example is something everyone here can use. You, me, X, Y, Z, and anyone else who owns a copy of XenForo. My skin isn't (is not) the only one which uses this type of code.

Does every skin developer here ask XenForo Ltd if they can use the code to make a skin? Of course not.
 
Are you kidding me? You attempt to go to any length to state you are in the right. Where did that get you with XenPeace and the other?
 
Are you kidding me? You attempt to go to any length to state you are in the right. Where did that get you with XenPeace and the other?
There is some resource code in it, but it belongs to neither the author of Social or us .

PHP:
.EWRporta_Portal .section:first-child
{
    margin: 5px 5px 10px !important;
}

This for example is to help maintain the correct spacing for people who use XenPorta

http://xenforo.com/community/threads/8wayrun-com-xenporta-portal.26838/

^ Published Tips on how to style for it were provided here
 
I'm not going to argue with you two anymore about it.

You two are the ones who will now have everyone questioning your integrity. To me, that means more than anything on or off the web...
 
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