# Stealing from the SDMB? Metatus.com **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000 "2002-08-28T22:08:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/1 "2002-08-28T22:08:29Z")
I received a spam email today, which I reproduce below: > [@](#): > > \*\*From: “Suzy Hall” \<[suzyhall@hushmail.com](mailto:suzyhall@hushmail.com)\> > Subject: RE: Who knows you might like it > Possibly the BEST Message Board ever!sex, politics, work issues, religion, hobby, the works > > [http://www.Metatus.COM](http://www.Metatus.COM) > > Note: this is not an unsolicited email, if you wish to unsubscribe, write to > [suzihall@hushmail.com](mailto:suzihall@hushmail.com) > \*\* I hate being spammed. I decide to visit the site and see what’s up. As I scroll through the messages, I notice things look a little familiar: [Do headphones cause ear damage? (Straight Dope)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127059) [Do headphones cause ear damage? (metatus.com)](http://www.metatus.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?t=646) [Is incest among adopted siblings illegal? (Straight Dope)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=129593) [Is incest among adopted siblings illegal? (metatus.com)](http://www.metatus.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?t=1102) [Lawyers’ use of “Esquire” (Straight Dope)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127318) [Lawyers’ use of “Esquire” (metatus.com)](http://www.metatus.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?t=1172) [Stolen cell phone: is it worth anything? (Straight Dope)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122612) [Stolen cell phone: is it worth anything? (metatus.com)](http://www.metatus.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?t=199) These threads appear to be copied straight from the SDMB (minus any SDMB references)! These are only the first four I stumbled across, and there are many more. Do we have a thread thief on our hands, trying to cash in on the SDMBs popularity, or am I missing something? I have sent the admin of the site an email asking him about this and the spamming, I will post the results as they happen. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/2 "2002-08-28T22:14:28Z")
I opened up a thread you didn’t have on there, and I pretty much went, “I’ve read this one before on the SDMB… WTF?!?” I hope something comes of your email. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/3 "2002-08-28T22:39:22Z")
Got the reply back. [admin@metatus.com](mailto:admin@metatus.com) told me that I was not entitled to any answers. Anyone else wanna try? Like, maybe, a thousand of you? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/4 "2002-08-28T22:52:01Z")
I’m game. Sent. -foxy ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/5 "2002-08-28T23:13:41Z")
Yep, you’re right. At first I thought it might just be people posting the same OP at two sites. But the metatus threads are usually several days older than the SDMB ones. And the OP never checks back in at the copies. The cell phone one in particular: the SDMB version was posted on 6/26. On 6/27 the OP reposted to thank the responders, and was satisfied. The identical metatus thread was posted 6/29. But is it really such a good idea for a bunch of us to e-mail them? Board wars can get ugly. I think I’ll wait until a mod or admin chimes in with an opinion. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/6 "2002-08-28T23:19:23Z")
it would be interesting to know the admin/mods view on this… at first i thought maybe it’s a coincidence, but the wordings are exact… i mean, try “my friend arnold…” in the ear damage thread… i wonder if this can be considered a copyright violation issue… i’m sure a co-ordinated visit to the metatus board would infest it with some of our prized hamsters, but i’d rather wait for a mod opinion… ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/7 "2002-08-28T23:25:27Z")
Hmmm, this is interesting…one of their members (as opposed to the “guests” who posted the stolen OPs) is UncleAl, who has been trying to shake up the world of physics in GD as UncleAl0 for the past few weeks. Coincidence? Hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/8 "2002-08-28T23:31:46Z")
I think it best not to do anything more. Admin has been notified, I’m sure they can handle this. Joey, that was very good to show the links together like that. Pretty much takes the question out of it whether they were lifted directly from here. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/9 "2002-08-28T23:33:38Z")
Very interesting indeed… Esprix ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/10 "2002-08-28T23:34:46Z")
Please do NOT go over there and raise hell; you may be righteous but that makes US look bad. I have referred this situation up the pipeline. Remember, this is why the Reader has attorneys. They spend a great deal of their time combating this sort of infringement and I’m sure it’s nothing new, just more of the same damn thing. your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/11 "2002-08-28T23:36:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xash \* > \*\*i wonder if this can be considered a copyright violation issue… > \*\* Scroll all the way down. See this? > [@](#): > > No material contained in this site may be republished or reposted without express written consent of the Chicago Reader, Inc., except that message board users retain the right to republish or repost their own work I’d say the answer to your question is “yes.” ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/12 "2002-08-28T23:38:21Z")
I thought it may have been coincidence too, until I saw the **Lawyers’ use of “Esquire”** Straight Dope post that says \*\* > [@](#): > > According to SDSTAFF Dianne (Esq.) in [www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mesquire.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mesquire.html) this is “thought pretentious”, but when I mentioned this with a laugh to an American friend was told it was quite normal and proper. \*\* On metatus, it is word for word except for the “SDSTAFF” and the [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com) link. He/She removed just enough to hide it’s origins. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/13 "2002-08-28T23:40:46Z")
Can the Mods post a sticky saying what happened, maybe in ATMB? I’d be interseted to know how this turned out. Or maybe I’m “not entitled to any answers” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/14 "2002-08-29T00:23:32Z")
Wow, how … blatant. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/15 "2002-08-29T00:29:29Z")
They might as well call their site [www.straightpsychoactivesubstance.com](http://www.straightpsychoactivesubstance.com) The nerve! ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/16 "2002-08-29T00:32:46Z")
Maybe they should call themselves [doppelganger.com](http://doppelganger.com) or something more appropriate, like [plagiarism.com](http://plagiarism.com). That’s pathetic that they felt like they had to steal. ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/17 "2002-08-29T01:05:19Z")
Sheesh. In the lawyer thread, not only is the OP lifted, but so is the answer! And it was posted in one minute after the OP. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/18 "2002-08-29T01:11:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > **Maybe they should call themselves [doppelganger.com](http://doppelganger.com) …** Or maybe [DOPElganger.com](http://DOPElganger.com)? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/19 "2002-08-29T01:24:05Z")
Hey! Now when the hamsters get slow we can dart over there wthout all the waiting. 😃 ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000/20 "2002-08-29T01:29:37Z")
Hey! Now when the hamsters get slow we can dart over there wthout all the waiting. 😃 ::d&r:: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stealing-from-the-sdmb-metatus-com/126000.md?page=2)