Posted November 8th, 2004 @ 03:01pm by Erik J. Barzeski
And with this, Gideon softworks goes on my shit list. Why's that? Well, they've pretty much ripped off Transmit (an FTP client like our own FTPeel), not only in application layout, functionality, and design, but in their toolbar icons as well!
Gideon softworks' front page includes the line "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). I suppose that includes blatant theft.
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Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 3:10pm #
Yep--that's pretty lame.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 4:30pm #
That's indeed very lame, especially because it's also an FTP client and the icons are in the same order. Don't get me wrong here - there's absolutely no excuse for basically copying someone else's .nibs - on the other hand, I have to say that those icons do not look very original: the Get Info icon and the Delete icon are taken directly from the Finder - just take a look at the "Customize toolbar" dialog... the "Disconnect" icon looks like the Finder's connect icon with an eject symbol laid over it and the New Folder icon's "+" symbol is a bit lower than the Finder's and the Refresh icon looks a lot like an older Camino theme (or some other older Mozilla-esque browser, can't remember, an early Kevin Gerich icon?)
And that's the best about it: not only did they copy the icons directly, they copied pretty unoriginal ones, too!
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 4:31pm #
"At a price point our competition can't touch."
$20.
Am I wrong in thinking that FTPeel 'touches' that quite well, by being $19?
I know which one I'd buy.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 5:17pm #
Anyone try this app? It's a horrible Java app. Fails in comparison.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 5:28pm #
And it doesn't look all that different than old school Fetch... Personally, I've never had much respect for the guys at Gideon... I take that back, previous to this, I respected the people at Gideon, but didn't need any of their software, so I didn't respect their products. Now I don't think I respect the people either...
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 5:37pm #
Ripping off software
You know, that's VERY lame. Don't rip off software design...especially, if you are going to quote from the Bible.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 5:41pm #
Ralph, just a point of clarification: I arranged the icons in the two apps (you can't rearrange them in Gideon's, as it's not an "actual" toolbar) to be similar. I also Photoshopped out some white space between "Disconnect" and "Upload." So the order is not exactly the same.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 6:39pm #
Ok, Erik. I did not check out the actual app. However, I think my original point still stands: it's not particularly original to copy Finder icons, and it's certainly even less original to copy (more or less) copied Finder icons. Panic has done a pretty lame job as well. Just look at your own toolbar icons, it seems to be possible to come up with something distinctive (or have someone else come up with it for that matter).
In addition, I just saw that FTPeel has column view and SFTP which might seriously endanger my age-old RBrowser habit. Sometimes you notice that you do not even care to check out other apps because you have used them for so long (i.e. since the Rhapsody days...). There are so many ftp clients available now but all I've seen have their own quirks...
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 8:34pm #
Hey Ralph,
Indeed, the Get Info and Delete and Disconnect icons came from the Finder/Apple -- in the past we've tried to use Apple icons when appropriate to maintain consistency with the OS itself. (That philosophy is a bit in flux right now.) The other icons were designed specifically for Transmit.
I've received word from David Clark / Gideon that he has changed the icons at my request; I haven't yet had a chance to verify this, but I thought it might be worth noting here.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 9:10pm #
They changed the icons.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 9:13pm #
We developed and released an FTP/SFTP client on RDR1-OSX v10.1 called Gideon (http://www.gideonsoftworks.com/releases/gideon1.0a4.dmg) Gideon was on X before Panics Transmit was ( for 1.5 yrs ). GIdeon has always utilized a side by side layout. I guess what I am trying to say - we did not sit down and say to ourselves "lets clone transmit". We happen to like the side by side layout. So it is only natural the FTP/SFTP client we develop will use it. If you actually took the time to use GSFTP - you'd see there are more differences that similarities. Multiple connections per browser - gsftp, in window task display - gsftp, in window log display - gsftp. As I discussed with Cabel, the only the only major similarity is the choice of using a side by side layout. If that is wrong - then Fugu, CaptainFTP etc... are also guilty for utilizing a workable and efficient UI. As far as your "concern" over us using 3 of Panics icons - it's not a big deal. We have corrected the issue and posted a new release. Whining about icons is one thing but this tidbit "Gideon softworks' front page includes the line "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). I suppose that includes blatant theft." is just a cheap shot and shows your level of maturity. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. With that said, Cabel from Panic has kept a professional tone and did not resort to attacking to get his point across.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 9:31pm #
David: Transmit was available on Mac OS 9 well before your software was available on Mac OS X. It is a big deal. You knowingly stole. It is a big deal and it should have never happened to begin with. It's not a cheap shot. It's a sound bite. Nobody who says "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" after being caught stealing gets to tell me that I'm being immature. FTPeel is a dollar cheaper than your app. Guess we touched it.
Posted 08 Nov 2004 at 10:25pm #
Isn't the 8th commandment "Thou Shalt Not Steal"? Guess he's a hypocrite too.
Posted 09 Nov 2004 at 12:57am #
Arguing with someone on their blog who was correct in pointing out the use of identical icons on someone else's program has to be the most immature thing about this whole issue. Blogs are expressions of personal opinion, not points of attack. Way to be professional, David.
Posted 09 Nov 2004 at 3:39am #
"As far as your "concern" over us using 3 of Panics icons"
David: I count at least four icons (if I give you the bonus that you knew the others were copied from Apple which I really doubt in your case). The "New Folder" icon is not directly from the Finder - check it out - the "+" is lower on Panic's icon and the Finder's "+" is thinner and smaller. Panic's version is not a direct copy, it's a rendition if you want. Together with the refresh button and the upload and download icons, there are four that you copied directly. Quite courageous that you have the guts to comment here and accuse Erik of being immature. Next time, you better come up with your own icons (apparently you already have) and show us the result of some really hard work because I guess you know that old Puritan wisdom that "the devil finds work for idle hands" 😉