Just wondering why this would upset you when you advertise on PROG? Isn't that a rip-off Google? Charging for ads based on the millions they invested in HW to classify the web?

Is your position that its OK to rip-off only large, powerfull companies?

first off, many people have coppied my sites, and I really do not care that much. Also if Google asked for him to take his tool down he probably would.

I do not view the owner of Prog as a thief. You obviously for some strange reason do. You would not have seen my ad there unless you were using that tool so I am confused as to what the point / purpose of your post is.

First off, I want to to know that I really admire the work you do on this site and others.

I use Prog and think its very cool (found out about it from you, thanks). Obviously, I don't have an issue with it - Google is big enough to take care of themselves.

Here is what caused me to write - he is charging for ads on it and is trying to sell it. That seems to contradict what you wrote in this article.

I don't buy your line about what would happen if Google asked him to take it down - thats like saying that its ok for me to use your content, but I'll remove it if you catch me.

He has created a platform that is a screen scraper similar to many others.

He is not using their AdWords ad server or pirating their ads. He is mimicking them and is certainly riding a line in my opinion, but I am not much on judging other people, and it is not my position to judge him.

I am simply a marketer who sees a great market there and would be foolish not to promote something I really like.

If Google cares they should let him know. If I cared more I would more actively let people know about what I thought of them stealing my content.

I know in lots of high margin areas such as debt relief, prescription drugs, and adult enertainment there is probably a bunch of copyright infringement.

This particular blog post was not about getting people to agree with me or to fit in with my moral judgements (because often I am misguided in my own beliefs or actions), but more to educate them to some of the options available to them if they were worried about a potential problem.

On a personal level I really do not care much for copyright. If I were a more savy business man and knew how to have a functional business model while giving away everything I know I totally would...but I don't, and so I sell my ebook.

Do I give it away to charities? yup. Do I know people share it with some of their friends? yup. Does it bother me that other people share my info & sometimes copy it? nope.

I know it does to some other people though. my blog is strongly intertwined with my opinions, but I try to write about anything that interests me & that I think would interest a person who has read this blog in the past and hopefully keep them reading in the future.

Occasionally I say loud mouth things or speak then think, but usually my intentions are good.