Legal issues regarding website idea.

GraveRobber

I want to set up a website online. I have seen the idea work in Germany and then the started in England and it is a great success there now. I want to set up something similar in Ireland because I am sure that it can work here. I like the way their website is setup and I want to do something similar but I don’t want to get into copyright infringement. How similar can my website be to theirs?

Also I need to know is what are people's views or opinion's on getting a website done through sites like scriptlance.com? I know web sites are very expensive to design in Ireland and have received some very good prices from people on that site to do a full working web site of what I want.

If I went to Enterprise Ireland and tried to secure some start up funding would they entertain this at all? My web skills are not good enough to try on my own and Irish web companies are way too expensive for my low budget.

I have seen this idea working and am quite confident it can work here, I am sorry but I don’t want to go into too much detail because I don’t want the idea stolen on me.



Thanks for your time and help,

E

flash harry

GraveRobber wrote: »

I want to set up a website online. I have seen the idea work in Germany and then the started in England and it is a great success there now. I want to set up something similar in Ireland because I am sure that it can work here. I like the way their website is setup and I want to do something similar but I don’t want to get into copyright infringement. How similar can my website be to theirs?

Also I need to know is what are people's views or opinion's on getting a website done through sites like scriptlance.com? I know web sites are very expensive to design in Ireland and have received some very good prices from people on that site to do a full working web site of what I want.

If I went to Enterprise Ireland and tried to secure some start up funding would they entertain this at all? My web skills are not good enough to try on my own and Irish web companies are way too expensive for my low budget.

I have seen this idea working and am quite confident it can work here, I am sorry but I don’t want to go into too much detail because I don’t want the idea stolen on me.



Thanks for your time and help,

E

without encouraging blatant copying of their site, unless it does something that they have a copyrigh/patent type protection on, which is highly unlikely, you can pretty much copy it and change any of their details within reason.......

Have to say the whole "Ireland's too expensive for web developers" thing is a bit last year. I have a company doing a brand new site for me (completely new venture like you OP) and was quoted like 5% more than online sources with the added bonus I could sit down with the developer and he wont get paid unless it is as agreed. (NB agree exact functionality and look and this is never a problem).

FH

delllat

flash harry wrote: »

without encouraging blatant copying of their site, unless it does something that they have a copyrigh/patent type protection on, which is highly unlikely, you can pretty much copy it and change any of their details within reason.......

Have to say the whole "Ireland's too expensive for web developers" thing is a bit last year. I have a company doing a brand new site for me (completely new venture like you OP) and was quoted like 5% more than online sources with the added bonus I could sit down with the developer and he wont get paid unless it is as agreed. (NB agree exact functionality and look and this is never a problem).

FH

how much did it cost?

Dabko

Id have to agree with flash harry. There are plenty of webdesign companies out there who are designing great sites, for great prices. The arty farty "Design Houses" still exist, just stay clear of them.

The tiger is dead, long live the budget revelotuion;)

Atlas_IRL

Recently my family business who are in fashion invested in a website. The site is flash and really crap, i have a degree in IT so i know a good design when i see one. They charged 15,000 for a site that uses jooma and virtuamart, didnt even contact us when it is finished to finalise anything and gave us a nomal admin pass so we can change a few products. They host on their own server have given no control and want 7 grand a year for advertising (google adwords) and 3 a year grand for maintenance and hosting. I **** you not, i wont name and shame but Irish companies are a rip off.

Does anyone know realistically how much i could re-do the site if i got one of these scriptlancers?

I would go with the scriptlancers op, irish firms are terrible from my experience.

Is it fine for me to go to this company and tell them to **** off and move their design to my own bought server? Im going to have to start from scratch and go the OP's way or else learn joomla myself.

lecheile

Atlas_IRL wrote: »

Recently my family business who are in fashion invested in a website. The site is flash and really crap, i have a degree in IT so i know a good design when i see one. They charged 15,000 for a site that uses jooma and virtuamart, didnt even contact us when it is finished to finalise anything and gave us a nomal admin pass so we can change a few products. They host on their own server have given no control and want 7 grand a year for advertising (google adwords) and 3 a year grand for maintenance and hosting. I **** you not, i wont name and shame but Irish companies are a rip off.

Does anyone know realistically how much i could re-do the site if i got one of these scriptlancers?

I would go with the scriptlancers op, irish firms are terrible from my experience.

Is it fine for me to go to this company and tell them to **** off and move their design to my own bought server? Im going to have to start from scratch and go the OP's way or else learn joomla myself.

Atlas - sounds like a complete rip-off here. You should try and unwind the relationship immediately. There should be no issue at all with you getting the site hosted elsewhere at a fraction of the cost - do a search for hosting services in ireland and ask them all to quote - you will be very surprised as to the cost.

Atlas_IRL

I know i was looking at blacknight

http://www.blacknight.com/maximus-hosting.html

seems like a good option, ive seen on the joomla website their are extensions for backing everything up which enable you to move your data over to another server which ill have to do. This companies prices are crazy and the support is non existant...

mick.fr

I think the 15k was for the design only, not for the hosting?

Design can cost a lot for sure.

But now you can get very good websites with many applications running for pinuts. A nice template costs 50 quids.

I personally use cPanel with my hoster in the US, apps such as Joomla are installed automatically in 60 secondes, then I do a bit of my magics, and I can get a good looking websites with custom pictures etc.
It costs me 14 USD a month and a bit of time...but it works out fine for me.

Can give you a hand if you need some advice guys.

Atlas_IRL

Assignment Fees Breakdown
Design, Development and Testing of ? €14500

Annual Support and Maintenance of online store covering :
All support queries
Minor changes, seasonal updates
Secure certificate
Hosting, backups € 750 per Quarter


Ongoing marketing for ?
This includes
Set up Google Analytics & report monthly on the statistics & make recommendations
Implement the recommended updates
Set up a Google Adwords campaign for your website (monthly budget for Adwords to be paid separately by client)
Manage the Adwords campaign and implement changes and updates to provide you with optimum Adword Campaigns.
Research the best way to promote your website online.
Drive traffic to your site via link building and article writing
Note: We would recommend a minimum of 6 month contract for website consulting in order to start seeing results. €750 per month

That is basically what they want to charge and are charging, the site now is out of date as the products cant be changed cause they have all the passwords and control so its basically bringing down the business atm.

Is that an absolute rip? seems like it to me. 9k for advertising and we pay for the keywords.

How do companies think they can get away with this.

mick.fr

Atlas_IRL wrote: »

Assignment Fees Breakdown
Design, Development and Testing of ? €14500

Annual Support and Maintenance of online store covering :
All support queries
Minor changes, seasonal updates
Secure certificate
Hosting, backups € 750 per Quarter


Ongoing marketing for ?
This includes
Set up Google Analytics & report monthly on the statistics & make recommendations
Implement the recommended updates
Set up a Google Adwords campaign for your website (monthly budget for Adwords to be paid separately by client)
Manage the Adwords campaign and implement changes and updates to provide you with optimum Adword Campaigns.
Research the best way to promote your website online.
Drive traffic to your site via link building and article writing
Note: We would recommend a minimum of 6 month contract for website consulting in order to start seeing results. €750 per month

That is basically what they want to charge and are charging, the site now is out of date as the products cant be changed cause they have all the passwords and control so its basically bringing down the business atm.

Is that an absolute rip? seems like it to me. 9k for advertising and we pay for the keywords.

How do companies think they can get away with this.

Yes I have seen many similar situations like that with Irish companies all the time. They provide no access to the site, so you are stuck with them. And if you decide to move away they will make your life a nightmare stating you need to pay the full year first etc.

I can sort you out quickly for a ridiculous fee and get you back on business ASAP.

Drop me a PM with your contact details, I will call you tomorrow.

Cheers

flash harry

Atlas_IRL wrote: »

Assignment Fees Breakdown
Design, Development and Testing of ? €14500

Annual Support and Maintenance of online store covering :
All support queries
Minor changes, seasonal updates
Secure certificate
Hosting, backups € 750 per Quarter


Ongoing marketing for ?
This includes
Set up Google Analytics & report monthly on the statistics & make recommendations
Implement the recommended updates
Set up a Google Adwords campaign for your website (monthly budget for Adwords to be paid separately by client)
Manage the Adwords campaign and implement changes and updates to provide you with optimum Adword Campaigns.
Research the best way to promote your website online.
Drive traffic to your site via link building and article writing
Note: We would recommend a minimum of 6 month contract for website consulting in order to start seeing results. €750 per month

That is basically what they want to charge and are charging, the site now is out of date as the products cant be changed cause they have all the passwords and control so its basically bringing down the business atm.

Is that an absolute rip? seems like it to me. 9k for advertising and we pay for the keywords.

How do companies think they can get away with this.

it seems to me that they did get away with it as your fam biz signed for it???????

But agree crazy prices. FYI joomla is easy to learn if you get stuck into i - a bit user unfriendly to begin with but you'll get the hang of it.....Allowing some one to develop any software related progam without you owning the code is a massive mistake though.....

maninasia

You got ripped off on that one. It's 4X what I would have charged previously (outside Ireland). Don't ever let any web company control the hosting or rights to any website. That's not normal business practice outside Ireland. It's easy to transfer the hosting and you can pay a freelancer to maintain and update the site for you.

lecheile

Atlas_IRL wrote: »

I know i was looking at blacknight

http://www.blacknight.com/maximus-hosting.html

seems like a good option, ive seen on the joomla website their are extensions for backing everything up which enable you to move your data over to another server which ill have to do. This companies prices are crazy and the support is non existant...

I have had very positive experiences of Blacknight and suggest they are worth talking to.

flash harry

maninasia wrote: »

You got ripped off on that one. It's 4X what I would have charged previously (outside Ireland). Don't ever let any web company control the hosting or rights to any website. That's not normal business practice outside Ireland. It's easy to transfer the hosting and you can pay a freelancer to maintain and update the site for you.

wow you can ascertain a price with such limited info, impressive.......