http://www.china-idc.cn/_data/2005-02-03/1107398229.html
Those are the images from my corefolio, what are they doing there?
Unfortunately i can not read chinese, although the google translation is incredibly amusing it offers me no insight as to what the hell is going on.
is this normal?
has my soul been stolen?
you’re name is on top of the page, maybe just someone who likes your work…
That’s sweet. I wish I could get ripped off like this (on an international level). I’m sending this to my buddies to translate. B-Bruth, is this your image? I know I’ve seen this posted by you for some time…
…good stuff
I’d like to see some PovD@wg stuff ripped off. Foreign countries, I challenge you!
The last post was by the PovD@wg
I know the feeling. I was browsing through a Chinese manufacturer’s furniture catalog the other day and saw a table identical to one I did last year. Flattering, yet infuriating at the same time.
We had quite a few people in our showroom at High Point taking unauthorized photos of our stuff, so its no wonder it showed up so quick. The bad thing is that the Chinese-produced table probably sells for a fraction of the cost of ours. I might even see it in BigK, Wally World, etc. later this year! 
this is the response i got from the email i sent to the contact address on the site
Dear Ryan Rutherford,Our website is a professional products design & development information-communicating platform, and with its core on products design information.We met your interesting design on > www.core77.com > , and we thought that would be great to introduce those wonderful things to chinese designers. Best regards,china-idc
i guess i should just be flattered?
Just so your mind is at ease, I checked with some Chinese friends of mine and what they told me coincides with the email you received. That site is a reference of good design, a showcase if you will. They simply liked your stuff and wanted to show you some love.
just read Sterling’s “The Sham Economy” on Wired and first thought was “love? what about STDs? would anyone want this attention on a Chinese site that counterfeiters probably look at?”
The babelfish’ translation service is usually somewhat better than google’s, Simplified Chinese to English translates the page pretty well.
It seems to be a review of your works, and most of them are pretty positive, so I guess you should be flattered.
Gee… that must have really made your day.
I post such stuff, I see on sites like Core and a lot others on my local Singapore design newsfeed. It’s all in English anyway. I dont speak Chinese. All in the effort to promote the local design scene.
So if you find any of your work on my newsfeeds, or if you’ve got some cool designs, drop me a note.
http://designgrid.blogspot.com
Dude, you’ve been offshored.
yea. no worry. its a positive stuff and you should be proud of that.
Hi there,
Patent your images and work. So next time when they use your image, they would have to consult you first. They have to pay you.
I’m looking from a design laws and copyrights point of view.
It’s your work. Your original stuff.
If the Chinese idn want to promote your work in their design scene to encourage fellow chinese industrial designers. I feel that they should consult you first as a form of courtesy to publish your work on their website.
Yup, that’s my view.
Cheers
Ed
No one else knows Chinese on this site? Well that makes me a bit more valuable I guess.
“Our cute kitties are always picky, but what can we do about it? They need to use the best, and in this world full of things designed for pets, I think I’ve found it. It’s Ryan Rutherford’s toys designed for cats, especially for cats! Yes, especially for cat!”
Personally, I think this site is somewhat stealing credits from you. They didn’t ask your permission for publication of your images and designs. Although they did mention your name, they did not show any way you can be reached( afterall you are the owner of the design). On top of page says "Info source from china-idc, not from your coroflot portfolio. So they used your success for their own commercial use, you can sue them… but you are talking about China, so I guess the best is to send them a “letter of concern” or something.
The second paragraph reads:
"Creeps(Toy company)
J.W. Pet toys company
Released in March 2005
When I discovered Ryan’s design of these cartoony cute wool pet toys, I fell in love with them. Nothing is cuter than these toys. Kitties not only can tear them apart, but also can hide them under ovens. This is an excellent design!"
Ok, so maybe you should call up your clients to find out what’s up.
I’d consider that to be a compliment and something you should be wairy of as well.
The company I work for has shifted the production of much of it’s components overseas and what I have learned about China so far is that the level of trust and confidentiality isn’t what we take for granted in the states or elsewhere. Because they are manufacturing our goods for a mere fraction of what we sell them at, there is a great deal of temptation for them to simply sell the goods they manufacture directly to buyers instead of selling them to the company which orders them to be manufactured! Basicly, YOU are the middle man when you ask them to manufacture your goods. They can make a much better profit by selling your product directly to a buyer at your wholesale price.
To return this discussion to your product, the point I’m making is this, ideas which are publicly shown are NOT safe from being copied. Whenever my boss goes overseas to tour factories making our products he makes sure that they are not leaving our products out to be seen in their showroom or as an example of their past work.
There’s a chance somebody in a factory could be “inspired” by your design because of the exposure…
I am just wondering guys, i am really getting more blur bout copyright.
a. In this situation, i agree with you perhaps they should get your
permission before they publish your works and images, but if you read
the content, they are actually flattering him and letting more people
get to know him, telling people where you can buy these toy, why this
toy is success and how cute, how good they are. I dont see
any DIRECT commercial purpose for this publication. Are you sure
they are in the risk of getting sue by the design owner? What about
if any magazine make a publication on a newly launched BMW car with
some comment, are they having the same risk? just curious.
b. They need to pay you if they want to publish your works for the above
purpose ? making sense?
Just want to figure out if my views are correct and what is our right
as a product designer. Forgive me for my poor english.
I am no expert but moral tells me that since this website makes money by attracting visitors, they need to pay, or at least get permission from the owner of the works. Furthermore, they did not site where exactly did they get the info from, which could very well by Ryan’s coroflot. If that’s the source, then they should mention it.
I will exclude the “flattering” part from this issue. It doesn’t matter what they say about the works. The fact that they are using it to make money without permission makes it illegal.