Ripped off ClipMenu on Mac App Store

October 27, 2014

Apple

ClipMenu has been ripped off on Apple's Mac App Store.

This is the rip-off: https://itunes.apple.com/app/clipmenu/id804607288

I need your help!

The problems

The problems are these two:

He uses ClipMenu as his product name.
He violated the MIT license.

I have open-sourced ClipMenu under the MIT license on March 2014. It is OK to sell derived work as long as you follow the license terms, but this guy has never followed it.

And using the same name as the original application causes customers on Mac App Store confusing these two. I have received support requests from falsely recogized customers, because the rip-off's developer seems to avoid user support.

The Beginning

After I was notified by @fisio in April, I have contacted the developer, named Alfred Danny, many times via email and Tumblr which is his support site, but he never replied to me.

@naotakaM Thank you again for @clipmenu! A same named app on App Store http://t.co/jqyWZul0PL Is that yours or just an unauthorized clone?
— fisio  (@fisio) April 10, 2014

Report to Apple

So I have reported this issue through iTunes Content Dispute to Apple. I received two auto-responded emails from them, however they never respond my further inquiries.

The issue ID is APP35999.

Need your help!

~~Please help me report this app by going to: Contact Apple Support .~~

~~I need your support and help to report this app and get it banned from Mac App Store.~~

Updates

Updated (10/29 JST)

Finally I got responses from Apple people! But, unfortunately, nothing is solved yet.

Thank you for your support.

Updated (11/06 JST)

Thanks to you, it seems that things are slowly progressing.

I have sent the following message to Alnysoft. I'm willing to discuss this matter in public.

Hi Alny,

Thank you for the reply. I have been waiting for it for a long time.

If you have a gripe against my claim, please answer following questions.

When did you upload your app to Mac App Store for the first time, and when was it published?

Didn't you know my ClipMenu, it exists since 2008, at that time? Have you never google it when you name your app?

I found icon images in your app which are the same images with mine. The most obvious one is the icon in the menu bar. Could you explain it?

Do you have no intention to change your app name?

I want to discuss this matter in public because my app users are also interested in it. If you never mind, please write your response at the following page:

http://www.clipmenu.com/blog/2014/10/27/ripped-off-clipmenu-on-mac-app-store/

Thank you, Naotaka Morimoto

Updated (11/09 JST)

Alnysoft accepted my request to change his app name and its icon images. He said that he will notify me if Apple's review has completed, so I'm wating for his notification now.

I hope this issue would be resolved soon.

ClipMenu