Hello fellow webdesigners/masters,

I recently ran into an old post on Nairaland from where i got a link to Enyimba FC website www.enyimbafc.net .  At a first glance at the website, i though i was looking at Obama's website, but after checking Obama's website ( barackobama.com ), i noticed a similarity in both designs.

Heres the thread - https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-10356.0.html

I want to know what you all think, because a fellow nairaland member (id withheld) is almost 'going to war' with me over the design; claiming its original.

See attachment for background images for both websites,

Nothing wrong with purchasing pre-made template from any template sites!

There are over 20,000 pre-made templates everywhere from over 500 template resellers to sell templates!

It is customized template to be modified, NOTHING ILLEGAL! It is allowed!

@ uspry

You should become the advocate for template designs, but I gotta ask, did you LOOK at those images There's a difference between templates and stolen images.

@ post

its obviously a rip off. OBVIOUSLY. Everything's the same, from the patterns to the to gradients and the enyimba dude made some poor attempts to cover up the original image with those obviously-not-matching blue boxes. Why would a so called template have that!?

hanen:

@ uspry

You should become the advocate for template designs, but I gotta ask, did you LOOK at those images There's a difference between templates and stolen images.

Yes I CAN SEE those images---different between template and stolen images! MY ANSWER IS this is not a STOLEN IMAGE, it is called boilerplate template that is designed by someone else anyone can buy or imitate template NOTHING WRONG WITH IT!

So what! Any webmaster or web designer can imitate any template to be modified adding their own content on their own website!

What if this webmaster/web designer is on the shoestring budget not able to afford expensive Adobe software: Photoshop/Dreamweaver/Flash or Corel Paint Pro Shop/Draw, etc but ONLY PLAIN NOTEPAD and cheap HTML editor---that's what happen!

@hanen, are you webmaster or web designer to create template or what? Everyone does that! SO WHAT!

Do you know that over more than 5 millions internet users access on the web---IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHOLE TEMPLATES on the system plus more than 500 resellers that sell over the same 20,000 templates REPEATED, and REPEATED i have been googled seeing all different sites EVERYWHERE looking for NEW RELEASE TEMPLATE CREATION but seeing SAME OLD TEMPLATES over and over and over?

BORING TO ME!

That is why i rather customize my own template from the scratch using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash with all programming: PHP, HTML, Javascript, XML, and MySQL.

Same principle for SMF forum sites for Nigerians, i have seen most of Nigerians are copycat of Seun's SMF forum----same color, same design, same format, and same categories/boards/sections.

Does it means most Nigerians (SMF forum admin) STOLE Seun's forum: NAIRALAND?

My answer is NO!!! Get it!

Mr. HC, the website duplicate detector. Exactly what are you referring to? Have you taken the time to look at the source codes of the two sites? Do they appear similar in that regard? Are the two sites similar in anyway, other than they use identical backgrounds?

I take it that your intension is to create some sort of stir, nothing much. Otherwise you'll take time to check facts to support your claim. For your information Detective, as my ID shows, I'm Farriel. Same person who made the initial post on www.enyimbafc.net and obviously of course, designed the Enyimba website. I didnt 'copy' the Obama site, as you so erroneously claim.

Yes both sites use same background, but that's as far as their similarities go. The background in question is a file on deviant art. I tried to search for the original but couldnt find it before someone pointed out that a variation of it could be seen on Obama's site, which I then went ahead & used (carefully, but not fully obliterating the distinctiveness of the image) because the background I'd seen on deviant formed a core part of the concept design I had come up with for Enyimba.

So that's just about it, Inspector. Meanwhile, the current site of Enyimba is not the initial one I'd given here. This is the v2, more or less. Try to understand the phrase 'copy website', before using it next time.

@ farriel

welcome to the thread. I need you to do one thing for, because i don't stand to gain anything from what i detected. Admit you stole the BG. If you truely got the image from deviant art, why those it have the same features like Obama's. Featues like the obama image and the search engine you tried to cropp off.

If you read my post very well, i said i just ran into the thread, i did not read the thread initially when you posted. Also, thanx for the title 'inspector', i think i'll tatoo it on my back. No idea is original, i think you should have looked around for inspiration and come up with something from your head.

@all

i'll like to state it again, i don't stand to gain anything from snifing out a design copy. We need to stand for originality, creativity and honesty. AM sure you must have been paid heavily for the job well done; i really don't care about that. I think you clients will be dissappointed if they find out you copied someone elses design. If you think am doing some sort of witch-hunting, go to google and search for website critics and send both websites to them and see what they'll say about it.

Keep the comments coming.

I see. Well there are people who read with their eyes open and there are some who do it with their eyes closed.

I said I could not find the same file on deviatArt. The one on the Obama site is a variation of the work on deviant. Obviously the (Obama) designer based his design on the concept on deviant. Just changed the top part of it but the cloudy sides are exact with the other version. What do you then make of this?

I only tried to explain to you the difference between using a bg image on a site and 'copying the website' as you had earlier mentioned, but don't seem to understand the difference, neither are you trying to. Like I said, you intended to cause a stir. You didn't get the response you thought you will, now you're sounding quite em, )&^*^).

Anyways, have fun.

HC:

@all

i'll like to state it again, i don't stand to gain anything from snifing out a design copy. We need to stand for originality, creativity and honesty. AM sure you must have been paid heavily for the job well done; i really don't care about that. I think you clients will be dissappointed if they find out you copied someone elses design. If you think am doing some sort of witch-hunting, go to google and search for website critics and send both websites to them and see what they'll say about it.

Keep the comments coming.

Sorry mate, but I'll just like to see your projects which have conformed strictly to your above paragraph. Again, I failed to spot the 'copied someone elses design' before I responded to your post but please tell me how else the sites appear similar, other than the bgs.

Dude, you can have as much fun as you can. I've said it all.

Dude, you can have as much fun as you can. I've said it all.

I don't know where the layout of the site was gotten from and I don't care. And to answer, your question, yes, I'm a web designer, and while I don't judge other people who use templates, I don't believe in it, because I love the idea of my design looking original, I've never NOT felt like coming up with my own design. Sue me.

Secondly, the IMAGES are the same, as Farriel as confirmed. I think what HC is driving at, is that he should admit he ripped it off.

Also. looking at Obama's site, his brand, his logo, and generally anything Obama-related, I think it's pretty OBVIOUS that the site was designed around him and not a modified template. Frankly I can spot a template or boiler whatever from a MILE away. Look at those images, they have the kind of patterns you see on currency or government paraphenilia. They are made from scratch images with custom text. Ive seen enough boiler templates to know some things my dear.

Please stop making excuses for people's inability to come up with ideas on their own. The people that designed his site aren't magicians.

Farriel, couple of questions there, I'm permanently on Deviantart, and I see the stuff people churn out daily. Are you telling me,  that that image with the badly placed dark boxes was how you got it on deviantart? Are you HONESTLY going to sit there and say that?? Really?

Why don't you just admit the OBVIOUS?

@ worldbest

Obviously, as all sites shift towards a more Web 2.0 feel, you'll simply take any similar looking sites as one copying the other? I've seen countless sites with similar look and feel but that doesn't necessarily mean a design is a replica of the other.

You'll hardly find a site that is 'completely original' in this time and age. All sites borrow elements from each other, whether in layouts, navigation, icons, colours, etc.

You wouldn't have taken it easy if you were the owner of the Enyimba site? Really? Well maybe you can point out to me how many original football websites there are in Nigeria, with which you'll compare that to and say 'Hey, this website is too identical to Obama's site. Get a new design.'

I am not saying they are not identical background images, I'm saying the two websites, in their entirety, are not identical.

How come nobody reads that post carefully?

I didn't get the image from deviant. I got it from BO's site. I couldn't find the image on deviant and somebody pointed out that it was there on Obama's site. I checked and it was used there. Of course you cant use an image with all the logo's and what nots.

I found couple of club website designs which I found great. I wanted to build the Enyimba site around such a design and the background added to the effect I was trying to create.

i can see you are begining to admit that you used the BG, now if i may ask you, did you take permission from Obama's webmaster to use the image?

Speaking of Nigerian football clubs website, everyone knows majority of them don't have websites.

@fariel What is BO please?

Well, as regards this 'Obama \ Enyimba Fc Website' this will be my last comment.

I designed the layout of the Enyimba site long before Obama announced his race for the White House. I initially had a liner gradient of blue and white, which was OK as at the time of design. After stumbling upon the image on deviantArt and again on Barack Obama's site, I felt the halo theme will be great with my initial concept. Note that the images on the two sites are different. The one on Obama was clearly distinct from the one on deviant but the bluish halo theme existed on the two.

I tested it and it appeared superb. I ditched the linear background I had and used the background image, careful enough to conceal (albeit ineffectively,) the logo and sign up area.

I owe no apologies to anyone for that.

If you have a problem with it, you can go sulk somewhere. I honestly do not care what anyone thinks about. The same Obama who owns the site in question and his vice, Biden have at one time been accused of plagiarism. Which is more or less what this is. Not 'stealing', 'ripping off' or 'copying the website'.

I'm surprised that I'm accused of copying a website and yet the comparisons made were done with just the background images. Why weren't the whole sites taken into account? Why the backgrounds alone?

If you feel someone elses' idea or concept would enhance what you have in mind, I see no harm in that. Again, I apologize to no one for it. Of course, the halo theme of the image worked better than the original linear gradient I'd used and I opted for it.

From experience, I can tell that a lot of people who make comments such as stealing an idea or website, or in this case, a background image cannot come up with the controversial sites they find, give them 10 to 15 years.

There's more to the Enyimba site than just that 'background image' and I'll find it appropriate if those are taken into consideration before writing off the site based on just one aspect of it.

Enyimba traditionally uses a blue colour. Coincidentally, Barack Obama, or rather Democrats do too. If both sites appear to have same colour doesn't indicate copying. I tried as much as I could to come up with a distinct blue feel for the club, which I think the whole site as a whole does excellently. Naturally, the halo image adding to that effect.

I will try no more to defend myself or try to deny anything further. There's no point fueling a rather inconclusive post like the HC's initial comment.

The Enyimba website looks good. First and foremost. It works. Most importantly. These are what the club and fans who visit it care about. Not whether the background image came from Sarah Pallin or Dimitri Medvedev.

If you want to stress your points, you can feel free and continue. As for me, I'm done with this thread.

Again, I'm free to share ideas with anyone on web design tips and tricks. I'm always thrilled, speaking with Nigerian designers and developers.

'If you have a problem with it, you can go sulk somewhere. I honestly do not care what anyone thinks about' - thats a rather stupid thing to say to anyone.

You are as worst as a common thief, and you don't even know it.

oga HC,

So I must ask: What do you have to accomplish by this post? Even if it were ripped off and he admits to it, what do you hope to accomplish? Are you some sort of EFCC of the Nigerian Web dev world? Just curious. I would have preferred you email him privately on this.

I think Farriel has explained himself well. Maybe he should have posted his latter posts at the top and that would have reduced the posts/lines of questioning. I have looked at both sites and in particular, I have visited Enyimba's site in the past. I also noticed the similarity but that didn't bother me to the point of posting it on NL. Worse case, I would have checked Farriel's profile (as I have) and fortunately it is public, checked out his website and his portfolio. The 2 backgrounds do look similar but that is where the similarity ends. The layouts aren't the same at all. Bear in mind that there are 2 parts to a website - graphics (design) and layout/code (development).

CONCLUSION:
HC, no offense, but I think you are crying over spilt milk. We don't learn from anything said on this post. All we are going to do here is boost egos.

Thanks,

@HC

Allow me to paste an excerpt from one of the posts from that site:

This is outrageous. Is there anything to be done about this?

Ok, copying websites is not something new, even for design companies, but to win a world contest with a copied website is more than WRONG.

Let's concentrate on the bolded portion above.  So again, even if Farriel says, "yes, I ripped it off", what's your point? Has he won any awards?  Has he done anything that would put himself in jeopardy?  Again, copying background images and copying an entire layout are 2 different things.

Again, unless you are some sort of EFCC of the Nigerian web dev world, I would say, lay off this and post something from which we all can actually LEARN something.

Thanks

@hc

i think its really funny that u attack a marvelous design over BG image

I fell in love wt the design, its wonderful and it has functionality

Farriel keep it up, u make naija proud wt a design that can compare wt that of other world class clubs

@webguru
What drew me to that site was an article I read somewhere sometime ago on BBC that said that site was second best football website in Africa. If you see the "best" website, you go laff tire. If Farriel is still subscribed to this, perhaps he will respond with that site's URL.

In my opinion, there are football sites in europe and even the US that Enyimba's site will not only stand up to, but beat, HANDS DOWN!

yawa-ti-de:

In my opinion, there are football sites in europe and even the US that Enyimba's site will not only stand up to, but beat, HANDS DOWN!

These days, european fc sites require the use of flash to access their pages.

Considering the large number of Dial up Connection users we have here, the site is still better than NFC's

Lets call a spade a spade. The background was copied, alright, does the Obama's site have copyright protection policy? Nope. So guys relax, if it had, then its totally wrong.

Enyimba has a LEGAL NOTICE page

kazey i guess u've never used copyrighted works

those templates ko

webguru:

kazey i guess u've never used copyrighted works

those templates ko

Atleast he did the site well

oga ooo,  @Farriel where have you been huh ? anyway to me i don't use template in designing anything am doing,  i like being original and everything from scrash,

I don't see the crime of using a BG image as for OBAMA BG image, i wouldn't use it either i can only take a look at it and put my heads together and curve out things.

@farriel, you getting it wrong by saying how many webmaster curves out web pages from scrash or is not what you meant huh ? i hate boiler or whatever they call it with a great passion,  because i just felt it's a lazy man job, anyway been long i saw you online

notting wrong getting a background image design but i would appreciate creating one yourself and when people see it, they will think you used a template ! i did a website of recent and  a webmaster that was working on a website for a bank in nigeria said " o boy na template you use for here oo" not trying to show off here,  but making things original is the best.

Had it been farriel u created your own gradient fill another way round,  everyone go raise leg for you! keep it up man cheers.

smartsoft has said the most sensible thing here. I think its better to be praised for coming with a lovely design of your own, instead of how well you rearranged someone else's template. IMHO.

Farriel,
The site is great.
We should try to be supportive abeg. This PHD syndrome is part of what's killing us in this country.
There is no need to be splitting hairs on this issue (and even non-existent hairs at that).
However, Farriel the e-mail addresses seem to be encountering technical problems. Tried using two of the addresses, media and publicrelations@enyiimbafc.net but both returned my mails.
Cheers.