BACKGROUND OF MAT
For over 2 years, from August 1998 to October 2000, MAT Highway Top 100 was a Road Website Competition. Each site listed had it's link in and link out statistics, basically showing which sites were the most popular. A fair number of websites linked to it, including some of the most popular, such as New York Area Roads, Crossings, and Exits and Pennsylvania Highways. It was basically harmless and fun.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
This all began to change in August 2000. After having recently changed web domain names, they launched a new branch to their site, Exit Lists Dot Com. This site billed themselves to be the "First Source of Printable Exit Lists". Few noticed them at first.
Then, on October 22, 2000, Robert V Droz posted the following on the newsgroup misc.transport.road:
"http://www.mat.qc.ca/exitlists/index2.html
Have any of you had dealings with these people? I don't want to post too much here about them before I have all the facts, it might be just a misunderstanding."
Then, Dan Moraseski posted this shortly afterwards:
"Their GSP exit list appears to be copied from mine; look at exit 143B of http://www.mat.qc.ca/exitlists/lists/interstate/GSP.html - no CRs are signed in that area on the GSP AFAIK (Ray Martin confirms it with his video), and just compare the list in general to mine at http://spui.twu.net/freeway/gsp.html and note the similarities (mine has CR 604 EAST in gray BTW). I just realized now they have the proposed exits (red on mine) as well! I don't really care too much; it's annoying but as long as we know they're a bunch of lying bastards we won't go there and believe they have real road info."
Shortly after, I posted this:
"http://www.mat.qc.ca/exitlists/lists/interstate/I95_nj_east.html http://www.mat.qc.ca/exitlists/lists/interstate/I95_nj_west.html
Some of the stuff they have on these pages is direct quotes from my pages. I might just put up a warning on my pages about these people. This is fu@#ed up..."
THE VICTIMS
Shortly, several others checked MAT and found that some parts of their own sites had been copied as well. As far as is currently known, the following is a complete list of those whose websites were illegally plagiarized by MAT:
Chris Bessert
Robert V Droz
J. P. Kirby
Jeff Kitsko
Raymond C Martin Jr
Daniel Moraseski
Alexander Nitzman
THE COMPLAINTS BEGIN
In response, those who had been plagiarized began complaining via e-mail. As far as is currently known, the following individuals whose sites were plagiarized sent complaints to MAT:
Chris Bessert
Robert V Droz
J. P. Kirby
Raymond C Martin Jr
Alexander Nitzman
Brian Purcell
The following is the text of the e-mail I sent to MAT:
"To whom it may concern:
I am Raymond C Martin Jr, webmaster of New Jersey Expressways and Tollways (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Boulevard/7642/New_Jersey.html). I have seen your site, and am fully aware that there is a lot of information that you ripped off my site and Dan Moraseski's Freeways of New Jersey (http://spui.twu.net). I am informing you that if you do not give credit to us and others (first by acknowledging this e-mail by midnight, Wednesday, October 25, 2000, and then by posting credit information on your site by midnight, Saturday, October 28, 2000), I will post the following warning on my main pages:
"It has come to my attention (via Robert V Droz and Dan Moraseski) that the website "www.exitlists.com", http://www.mat.qc.ca/exitlists/index2.html, has copied some of the information on my website without authority, consent, permission, or even credit. They apparently copy a lot of information from other websites like mine, and post it on theirs, claiming it as their own. I call all to join me on a boycott of their site, for they're underhanded attempt at cheap money."
Thank you for your attention.
Raymond C Martin Jr
Second Year Meteorology Undergraduate, Cook College, Rutgers University
Premier New Jersey Road Videographer
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Boulevard/7642/index.html"
The following is the text of the e-mail Robert V Droz sent to MAT:
"Dear Sir or Madam:
Your US highway list at http://www.mat.qc.ca/exitlists/lists/us_highway.html is quite obviously a derivative, if not a verbatim copy of my work and research, The link to http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/us98/us1.htm#US_123a and http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/us98/us2.htm#US_164a are evidence of this. I have copied your page into my personal files, please contact me regarding this matter. The crediting of Rand McNally for this information is particularly disturbing to me."
THE DEBATE CONTINUED
While waiting for a response from MAT, this matter was discussed heavily on mtr. Adam Prince gave the following possible scenarios for MAT's reaction:
"Dan my point is that they have various safenets to catch them in this situation....
Exhibit B: (Exhibit A being the complete list)
"Although compiled using official sources, this site is not affiliated with any federal, state or local government agency"
Rather vague....and up for interpretation..
Possible Scenario #1
They admit the alligations...however they have a source page listed...and use the french/english language factor as an excuse
Possible Scenario #2
They talk their way around the allegation..we actually did take the road trip blah blah blah...and point back to the link list...
Possible Scenario #3
Nothing is said...then all those that use the top 100 links (which they also run) should take any reference to it off their page. Something I think should be kept in mind.
after that in scenario 3 its up to the lawyers"
David Jensen brought in a quote from one of his pages as a counterpoint:
"From http://www.dajensen-family.com/copyright.html:
This Site Contains Copyright Material
Everyone who writes down an original idea, creates a new picture, writes an original story, or designs a layout is automatically the owner of the copyright to that material whether or not they claim it. You may link to it, but you cannot copy it without permission. Get permission from the owners for any copying you would like to do."
THE DELETION OF MAT
For several days, nothing happened. Then, in the evening of October 27, 2000, those who had e-mailed MAT got the following simple response:
"Please take note that the website www.exitlists.com is no longer online."
The entire MAT site was deleted, including the MAT Top 100. It was all gone.
Or so we thought...
In the evening of October 30, 2000, just over a week from the beginning of the fiasco, the following message appeared on mtr:
"October 30, 2000
Object: www.exitlists.com
Please take note that the contents which I was not the author were removed of my website. I will soon provide to my visitor links to the Web sites of the authors of the original documents. I can ensure you that a similar situation will not occur any more.
Concerning the MAT Highway Top 100, I do not plan to put it back online because of the low number of website listed in it.
If you have any other concern, please contact me at info@mat.qc.ca.nospam
Regards,
M.O. Mailhot
www.exitlists.com"
MORAL OF THE STORY
That was the story of the successful fight against plagiarism, corporations, and MAT. I hope it was a good story about how, if you fight against those who violate you, you can win. Or maybe not... Anyway, it's all true. Have a nice day!
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