This was not open source code. Would you expect to be allowed to download the GMail JavaScript code and use it to make your own webmail software?
Hacker culture is great, but that doesn't mean you can or should force everyone in the world to abide by its norms (or your perception of those norms).
There is quite a big difference between Gmail and a just for fun ascii art generator.
I could see this guy being upset if he wasn't given credit for it. But the new version gave credit to his original from the very start. Kind of a weird thing to get mad about.
>There is quite a big difference between Gmail and a just for fun ascii art generator.
No. There isn't. It's all someone's hard work and effort. Just because one belongs to google and one belongs to a fellow hacker doesn't make it OK to steal his work and get away with it.
You're right: This particular instance of plagiarism isn't such a big deal. The reason it's notable is that it shows just how little respect some people have. The guy took the creator's code without permission and altered it to insult the creator, then when the creator expressed unhappiness with this, he hit the creator's comment section with more insults and entitlement.
Hacker culture is great, but that doesn't mean you can or should force everyone in the world to abide by its norms (or your perception of those norms).