Copying source codes off the net

Last week, I got a call from a Peter, a prospective client. He wanted to see me for a website. "Can you build me a website, and let me watch you while you build it?, he asked me. "Normally, I build website for a client, and when I hand them over I give them a tutorial on how to maintain it. Or I can give you a web design tutorial and just pay me hourly. We can start by building your own website." I informed him. "Yeah, that would really be nice, I am more interested in the tutorial.I am really computer savvy!", he responded. "Do I need a special software to built websites?" he asked me. "Well, it helps to have these expensive special web building softwares, but it's not necessary. I do need it for my business. If you are only going to build your own website, you do need a simple html editor which you can download for free right off the web. I suggest you do some reading about html codes and I will e-mail the websites you can visit, so you can download the softwares before I come. In this way, we can maximize your tutorial time", I answered. A date was set.

When I came for our appointment, of course my client did not do the reading nor download the softwares I asked him to. "Yeah, I was looking at them and decided to wait for you.", excusing himself. "Okay, let's start by downloading all the softwares you need."I responded, anxious to get to work. "Do you have the sample website you want to build or model your website after?" I asked Peter. "Yeah, I was looking at this website, and i thought we could just copy the codes, and insert our own codes." he answered casually. I looked at him strangely and asked, "Why?"

A week earlier, I was chatting with a school colleague, George and he said the same thing. "How are your projects, George? Are you currently building a website?", he answered,"No, our company have a website already, but i am building one for my daughter. I looked at her favorite website, and tried to copy the source code." I look at him strangely and asked "WHY????"

"Don't you know that you have to clean up the codes first before you put in your own codes? You will have double the work. It is better to build from scratch rather than copy a website right off the net. Secondly, you know that their are copyright issues? You just cant copy someone's work right off the net. Or figuratively, you can, it's just unethical." I exclaimed righteously.

People generally think that when they have a ready made website, that they can ask me for a bargain price to have a website makeover. It is a webmaster's nightmare. I'd rather build a website page from scrath rather than spend my day cleaning up someone else's codes, or in layman's language, someone else's trash.

"Thanks Ming", George came back at me, a week later. "You are right, I save more time building my own website rather than copying someone else's source code."