I was checking activity on my site and spotted a glut of incoming links from a single site. That gets my attention. Meet Roger Jennings (@rogerjenn), of Oakleaf Systems, CA, USA:
You see, Roger was named on of the top 20 big data influencers by Forbes. I bet he was just too busy to do his own work, so he though he’d steal from others. I bet Forbes didn’t know that!
Want some proof? OK go visit:
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts_26.html
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts_23.html
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts_18.html
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts_16.html
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts.html
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts_30.html
- http://oakleafblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/windows-azure-and-cloud-computing-posts_29.html
Hell, just do a Google site search and you’ll see how much Roger has been copying and pasting.
He is copying entire blog posts. Stealing in my opinion. Check this out:
Now compare it with the original:
It’s not just me either; Roger Jennings like to copy the work of lots of people. I wonder if he’ll copy this post?
Oh Roger, I have ways of making it hurt. Google (hosts of the blog) are now aware, as are a certain other cloud company 
Remove my blog posts now.
Very sincerely,
Aidan Finn.
Update #1 (25/06/2012):
I received a message overnight from Roger that he’d be removing all the offending posts. The excuse given: Only 2 other people had complained of his content theft in the past 8 years. I’m sure a lot of others would complain if they’d only known.
Wouldn’t stealing be using your content and claiming it as his own?
It appears he gives you credit and links to the original resulting in additional traffic for you.
I am not a blogger but I guess this goes against some blogger etiquette?
How about doing things like moderating out comments from your blog you don’t agree with?
Is that bad?
If he’s copying/pasting a complete blog post then there is no reason for the reader to visit my site, or other people’s sites. Doesn’t matter if it’s a blog post, a book, or a DVD. Copying a DVD and putting the original artist’s name on it is a crime.
Copyright statement from a major news outlet.
Main sticking point in this case, Personal use can be that of a college student citing the works for a term paper is fine without permission WITH proper citation. “Redistribution” to other forms or forums in not permitted without written permission, and “Commercial Use” such a promoting your own professional position or being compensated for your works again requires written permission from original author.
You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale, create derivative works, or in any way exploit, any of the content, in whole or in part. You may download copyrighted material for your personal use only. Except as otherwise expressly permitted under copyright law, no copying, redistribution, retransmission, publication or commercial exploitation of downloaded material will be permitted without the express permission of AUTHOR and the copyright owner. In the event of any permitted copying, redistribution or publication of copyrighted material, no changes in or deletion of author attribution, trademark legend or copyright notice shall be made. You acknowledge that you do not acquire any ownership rights by downloading copyrighted material.
What a shame…..
Have you been asleep the last couple of years Aidan? Look at most of the “top influencers” those days. They copy first two paragraphs of a blog post to generate loads of traffic and at the end there is like a “..read full article” stuff. In fact I believe many blog sites allow you to or offer possibility to Copy paragraphs from RSS feeds – automatically. Nothing new here. Stealing? No, just lack of own content or brains for it. I think fighting it is meaningless. There will be always people like the guy who you mentioned. But then again look in google how many MORE ppl do the same with ur posts.
Doesn’t make it right, Alex. Especially when that individual is using a site full of other’s people content to achieve a certain *cough* award that we both happen to share. IMO, and that of many others … and the law, is he was stealing content.
I agree this is definitely a misuse of your blog Aidan. A small quote from or summary of your blog would be fine (with link to original) but this definitely leaves no reason to visit your site for the full article. I’m sure this guy will try to claim that it is ok what he did because he did indicate the content came from you but your DVD copy analogy is appropriate.
This is really bad and sad as well. It’s theft!
This is what the Electronic Frontier Foundation has to say about this:
https://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal/liability/IP
In a nutshell: no, it’s not fair to just copy complete posts.
This behavior also seems to infringe the US Copyright Act.
So I think although Mr. Jennings links to the originator he should not only stop to copy other people’s posts but should also remove the existing copies from his blog.
“..The excuse given: Only 2 other people had complained of his content theft in the past 8 years…” That’s HILARIOUS as an excuse… It doesn’t matter.
I used to have some pretty good respect for the guy for the books he writes. Not anymore.
JamesNT