My boss has asked me to implement the UI for a financial calculator from another company's website, specifically one financial conversion tool (as we have a competing product). The other company is a market leader and the idea behind copying this tool is if it works for them it will work for us. He has asked me to copy it 1:1 with the only thing we will change being the colour. So the layout, font sizes, fonts, etc all the same. Literally exactly the same except for the colour.
I refused to do this because it feels wrong and I don't really want to copy someone else's work 1:1. I explained I am concerned about the ethics behind doing this. My main problem is that this is a core component of the other company's product, and is very distinct to their platform. This isn't a generic interface that is used en masse and commonplace known as the best way to do something.
My boss got upset and explained that it is neither trademarkable nor copyrightable content -- which I am unsure about, but am leaning towards agreeing with, -- and that it's okay to do it. I refused again and he remarked he will get someone else to do it instead and expressed frustratingfrustration and displeasure with me refusing to do this.
Who is in the right here?
