Yahoo copies Digg, suffers the consequences
Cory Bergman February 14th, 2007
Speaking of Yahoo, the portal has launched suggestion boards that look… hmm… exactly like Digg. In fact, Yahoo explains on its own blog that the board has “Digg-like voting.” Well, that didn’t sit so well with the Digg kids, who retaliated by posting and voting up suggestions on Yahoo that read, “DIGG RIPP OFF” that dominated entire pages on every board. Oh, and check out those comments. “Wow, ripping off Digg UI? How low can Yahoo and it’s employees get? Grow a backbone and design something original,” writes one. Sure there’s no law against this, but Yahoo looks remarkably similar, which is a little too rip-off-ish for a company that was once rumored to be in talks to acquire Digg for millions. (Full disclosure: I’m a Digg fan from way back.)
Yahoo:
Digg:
Adds Stammy in comments: “I too am a Digg fan from way back, been using it since v1, but although I completely back them — since when did Digg own the copyright and patent to ‘website with posts that can be voted/rated?’ Think of it in other terms; FaceBook and MySpace…. My point is get used to it. People make something great, other people will recognize its use and utilize it.”
19 Comments Add your own
1. Stammy | February 15th, 2007 at 1:23 am
I too am a digg fan from way back, been using it since v1, but although I completely back them - since when did digg own the copyright and patent to “website with posts that can be voted/rated”? Think of it in other terms; FaceBook and MySpace. Say it how you like but they are pretty much the same thing.
Again, in other terms: your blog has 2 columns, you must copied that from another website, etc etc.
My point is “get used to it”, people make something great, other people will recognize its use and utilize it. Someone thought one day that a slanted roof would help during rainy days. Their neighbor might have seen that and done the same.. just perpetuating a great idea.
2. Corey Spring | February 15th, 2007 at 4:35 am
You didn’t hear? Digg invented the system of voting.
3. Paula Mooney | February 15th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Those darn Diggers!
4. Tonto Wienstein | February 15th, 2007 at 6:51 am
This isn’t the first time Yahoo has copied someone else’s work. Granted, this isn’t exactly earth shattering design, but it’s a UI that works well for user-submitted content display and discussion. Yahoo has copied the work of Google and MSN as well, but they are called on it because the Digg users know exactly how to exploit such systems.
Yahoo long ago ceased to be a leader in anything.
5. thomas | February 15th, 2007 at 8:42 am
Well, there is a difference between basing something off something else but you at least attempt to personalize it, a little effort and creativity of yahoo’s behalf would have prevent most of this. Had this not been a complete rip-off I think the digg.com people would have been flattered.
6. Vinny | February 15th, 2007 at 9:32 am
*sigh* Digg fanboys are the possible worst people on the internet (not digg fans, digg fanboys. Big difference)
Mike Arrington nailed it:
This isn’t anything like when Digg was cloned by Jason Calacanis and then tweaked to be something new. This is totally different and they’re in non-competing space.
7. Vinny | February 15th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Oh, and there are open source Digg-style API’s out there. Are they copying too?
And what about Hugg.com which IS a blatant rip off of digg only the stories have to be environmental in nature. Why no backlash about that?
Oh right… It’s not big evil corporate Yahoo, it’s Treehugger.
Got it.
8. P | February 15th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Thing is I don’t really care that much what a bunch of random people on the internet think about something. Herds are not smart. Herds tell us that Anne Nicole is more important than, well, just about anything you can think of.
9. f | February 15th, 2007 at 10:38 am
what is this crap about “DIGG RIPP OFF”.
I totally agree with comment#6.
10. Steve | February 15th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Plastic.com has been doing similar things for years.
11. S | February 15th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Get a life! Who really cares? This happens all the time. Let’s remember that Google copied Overture’s search model to create the foundation for its entire business model.
BTW, Tonto Wienstein you may want to check your facts before spouting incorrect information. Yahoo! is not only the most visited site on the Internet (both in the US and globally, in terms of both unique visitors & pageviews)), has the most visited homepage, and leads in multiple individual vertical categories (inlcuding Mail, News, Finance, Autos, Answers, etc.).
12. Carla | February 15th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Not at all surprised at Yahoo’s increasing loss of innovation and need to pull a Microsoft and copy, copy, copy whatever may reverse their declining share & fortunes. Buy a clue, Yahoo. Innovate on the existing stuff you’ve sat around on for years and run into the ground(GeoCities ring a bell)?
13. Michael Chastain | February 15th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I’m a top 100 commenter on Digg, and I think it’s great that Yahoo borrowed Digg’s voting system, and I wish more sites would do the same. The constant complaining about Microsoft stole that feature from Apple or X copied Y is ridiculous. If a good idea isn’t patented or copyrighted it should be emulated. Everybody wins.
On the other hand I think it’s pretty lame that Yahoo copied the interface elements and positioning almost exactly. That is pushing the limits of good taste and shows a lack of creativity, but it’s still nothing to get excited about. At least they had the class to recognize Digg rather than ripping them off anonymously.
14. Matt_ | February 16th, 2007 at 5:52 am
Yahoo acquired De.licio.us so it looks like they are finally creating a product out of that acquisition .
Kevin Rose even admits that he “borrowed” the concept of social bookmarking and voting from De.licio.us
15. nobody | February 21st, 2007 at 12:48 am
Digger fanboys prove once again (as with the Netscape.com “exploit”) what we all knew: that they are a bored pack of self-righteous 16 year olds who think the world owes them a damn living.
16. ozone | March 13th, 2007 at 9:30 am
DIGG Stole Voting idea from Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson created democratic voting.
Digg you thief ripped off our founders.
17. Orestis | August 17th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Cool…
18. Philippos | August 29th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Nice!
19. Giorgos | September 2nd, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Nice…
Leave a Comment
(Please keep URLs out of the comment body or the spam filter will block you.)Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed