Updates
Update 3:
And I found this
Issues Involving Copying
News: deviantART: Crack down on Copyrights
Sign the petition by =LostKitten
deviantART: Crack down on Copyrights
Update 2:
I have created a forum thread regarding the issue. Hope something happens.
Update 1:
First of all, I want to do this Phoenix Wright style just for the laughs.
But seriously now...
And so I got a response from the Help Desk. But I only got a response saying that the request that I sent was not in the proper category. I can't argue with that. The problem is, we want to stop sagor because of his massive stealing of artwork and ideas.
FAQ #264: Is there a description of the Help Desk contact categories?
If you check that out, you'll see that there is no such rule in deviantART that covers our issue right now. Sagor may be well aware of this or is just lucky. He is not posting any journal entry regarding the issue so he does not get reported for harassment. By not talking, he is able to protect himself. How can we report him now if he didn't really say anything that goes against the rules?
Yes, he did rip artwork but is there such law in dA that says "a deviant who steals art work will immediately get banned." Is there? I don't think so. We can only report stolen deviations, not deviants who steal. Again, sagor is on the defensive and is not saying anything about the issue SO WE CAN'T report him for harassment, abuse, and anything related to that matter.
FAQ #238: How do I report people for abuse, harassment, or another issue I may think is a violation?
Sagor also has violated this rule as ~fediaFedia mentioned in his journal.
Again refer to this: FAQ #264: Is there a description of the Help Desk contact categories?
We caught him doing so BUT the dA staff has not. We can't report him for doing so either since there is no such category in the Help Desk Inquiry Form.
Even if we report, say, 30 deviations of sagor, sagor MAY NOT GET BANNED. Yes, it really is unfair but that's just the case. Unless a person from the Help Desk personally checks out the issue we're having or sagor goes on the offensive side telling us to stop, then he probably wouldn't get banned.
I really hope now that someone from the dA staff actually sees all of these issues.
Although it may seem that I do not know about Sagor's ripping, I am well aware of the details and the evidences that point to his actions.
I sent sagor a note telling him to put an end to the issue. Unfortunately, he just blocked me. I was already expecting that. I warned him that blocking me would hurt him pretty badly. And this journal supports what I told him before he blocked me.
Right now, it would be best not to take on sagor directly.
Contacting The Help Desk
I have contacted the deviantART help desk about the said issue:
"...I think the reason the deviantART staff does not seem to respond about the issue is because such issues don't necessarily need the intervention of the deviantART staff. But that is another issue. It may seem that active users that have tried to stop sagorpirbd (Like the recently banned !Picassa243 [I believe this was an unfair ban but hey, I don't know much about the details] have been overacting about this issue. Yes this may also be the case for past issues regarding computer category art theft. (A term I coined for users stealing computer skins, visual styles, and the like) But this latest issue with sagorpirbd is different. And it's not about some childish fight and journal flaming. Let me tell you. Users fighting against sagorpirbd are not overacting. Even the "peaceful approach" does not seem to work for some people, which includes sagorpirbd. I who was a watcher of his tried to send a note to him stating in a peaceful manner to put an end to the issue. But he instead blocked me. He was being defensive even though I had a neutral stance on the issue..."
Take note, that text is only a part of what I submitted to the Help Desk. I am keeping the rest of my inquiry to the Help Desk confidential at the moment. (Believe me, those text I have not written here are less important. Not that they are not important. Those text just explain a part of sagor's actions.
Understanding The Issue and The Future of Skinning
"...I do hope that in the future, similar issues can be resolved by deviantART users quickly in a peaceful manner. (And I hope that the rules on computer art work theft would be reinforced and made known to aspiring skinners here in deviantART)"
I wrote that at the last part of my inquiry.
I believe it's time that this was brought up in detail.
For the past few years, ripping "computer-customization-related" (Visual Styles, Skins, etc) artwork has been a big issue. I got to admit, there have been many instances when trying to solve such issues have only resulted to journal flaming and endless fighting. It saddens me that there are so-called "skinners" who rip from other people's artwork. (Whether unintentionally or deliberately)
I have also handled similar cases. Some users have produced derivative works of mine and/or ripped my artwork in the past. I am just glad that these issues did not become worse and were solved easily through peaceful talk.
Like I said in my inquiry, I hope that such issues in the future about ripped "computer-customization-related" artwork can be handled peacefully. I also hope that that the rules on making skins would be reinforced so that we will encounter less problems on artwork theft.