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Nasza-klasa: Polish example of the copy-cat approach

Written on 11th June 2008 22 COMMENTS
Ernst-Jan Pfauth, editor in chief

Although the Germans have a patent on the copy-cat approach – Freundefeed, anyone? -, Spanish entrepreneurs recently proved to master this unique skill as well. And now there’s 24-year-old computing student Maciej Popowicz from Poland who also seems to get that the best business plan is to import a brilliant idea from abroad. He built Nasza-klasa, a Polish version of Britain’s Friends Reunited, France’s Copains d’avant, and Holland’s Schoolbank eighteen months ago. What came next, is well described by IOL Technology: Nasza klasa: Polish example of the copy cat approach

It has taken Poland’s Internet world by storm, and claims 11 million users, giving it widest coverage and penetration in this country of 38 million people, well ahead of YouTube’s 6,4 million Polish-based users.

To complete this entrepreneurial fairy-tale, TechCrunch reported earlier today that Estonia’s Forticom has acquired a majority stake in nasza-klasa for 200 million PLN, or 60 million Euros. From now on, Forticom will reach 7.5 million monthly users.

Although it isn’t the classiest way of making money, copying a successful service from abroad does make sense. People generally have the same needs – in this case: connecting with old classmates -, so why not offering them a localized version?

If you liked reading this post, you might want to subscribe to our RSS feed to read more European tech news. We cover Poland quite often. Did you know for example that Poland is Firefox heaven?

22 Comments »

About the author: Ernst-Jan is blogger and co-organizer of BLOG08, who previously worked in New York to cover news at the United Nations. Next to writing, he's also a singer in the band Christina Five. Follow him on Twitter or read his personal blog Dutchproblogger.com .

22 comments/trackbacks to “Nasza-klasa: Polish example of the copy-cat approach”

Jul 30, 2008: TheNextWeb.org: Lies, damned lies, and statistics
[...] 1: Reality in Sweden: download a HD DVD in two seconds 2: 3 reasons why Knol will beat Wikipedia 3: Nasza-klasa: Polish example of the copy-cat approach [...]

By Tjeerd Kramer on Jun 11, 2008

How many shoeshops are there in Amsterdam? Do we call them copycats, simply because there is a shoeshop in Berlin as well?

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By Ernst-Jan Pfauth on Jun 11, 2008

@Tjeerd what do you think?

If there’s a shoeshop in Berlin with an unique concept, like free beer for everyone, and an Amsterdam store introduced this as well, I would say yes..

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By Sjors on Jun 11, 2008

Well, if he just copied the Polish version of Schoolbank, than maybe.. But he created a site that fulfilled a need that wasn’t served by any other company.

But I see your point, just makes me wonder why it are always the English sites that are copied by foreign sites. (Or is it that if an English site copies a Slovenian initiative, no one ever hears about it) and second why it seems so hard to roll out a global service from the start.. And last do we call things copycats because comparing them to existing English examples is the easiest way to understand them?

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By Yakov on Jun 11, 2008

See the Russian perspective on http://blog.quintura.com

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By Tjeerd Kramer on Jun 11, 2008

@Ernst-Jan: Even if the Amsterdam shoeshop does the exact same thing as the one located in Berlin, I would not call them copycats, which in my dictionary is a pretty negative thing to use on people.

Ofcourse it’s nicer to do a startup with a unique idea, or improve on something that already exists. But for many people working the web it is just a matter of making a living.

In this case it’s all about localisation, demand & supply – like with the shoeshops.

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By Kriso on Sep 10, 2008

Nasz Klasa is a free service, Friends Reunited became free only recently (previous fee $14.95 in Australia anyway). Who copies whom? Still I don’t really mind Friends Reunited using Nasz Klasa’s idea of free service.

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By Bart Echosowa on Oct 5, 2008

this is a sloppy post …
How about Asia in a copycat race… Japan, Korea, China …
they have most advanced social networks in terms of services, biggest number of users (QQ) dating well before FB and others

imho it goes like this:
ASIA > CALIFORNIA > REST OF THE WORLD …
and maybe its going to be same with mobile … or
ASIA > EUROPE > USA > ROTW

if you want to be next think mobile, think value for the people, think User Experience, think usefulness, think low education, low mentality crowds (unfortunately:( …

btw, why not support google Open network?
you dont need to be signed up to some damn DB
lets just linking to peoples emails, galleries easier …

mobilephonetechnology.blogspot.com

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By Cindy on Oct 7, 2008

That’s a whole lot of $$$!!!. It looks like http://www.NaszaKlasa.com has already started charging for some features, most likely they will charge for access soon(that’s my guess). We’ll watch this one and see what happens!

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By Alice on Oct 15, 2008

shut up all! nasza klasa is funny and not a copy!

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By Alice on Oct 15, 2008

Nasza klasa served My School and that is not copy !!!!! and you most self shut , Ernst-Jan Pfauth ! of so ! you are a dumb
man!

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By Ernst-Jan Pfauth on October 15th, 2008:
got your point Alice, Nasza Klasa is funny, not a copy, of great value for your school and I’m dumb and will now self shut.

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By Kris on Nov 14, 2008

I dont really understand whats the problem and why so many are calling this ‘copy-cat’??

There are many web services of this kind in the world but before http://www.nasza-klasa.pl was created there was nothing (big) of this kind in Poland.
Does any of you sceptics expect than instead of creating such a service in Poland / Germany / Czech Rep etc people from those countries will log on to already existing English or Duch pages ??!!

IMO copy-cut used in this case is an insult and it could be used if this polish programmer would just make identical copy of ie. Brittish web page but just translated it to Polish lang.

I also dont think that http://www.nasza-klasa.pl will start charging $$$ for acess. Big profits are made on adverts and everybody would like to put one on www page that over 11mln is registered and this number would go down if users would have to pay for it.

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By bella on Nov 17, 2008

you should hope that the Poles dont start a long list of all the achievements and technologies stolen from them by other nations…

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By Lukasz on Nov 26, 2008

This post is rather lousy in terms of journalistic standards. And pretentious.

Especially that it comes from somebody who calls himself an editor-in-chief.

Nasza-Klasa is not a copycat of Friends United, but its Polish equivalent. Copycat is a derogatory term and should be avoided (unless you write for some tacky tabloid or something).

Same thing could (but shouldn’t) be said about French Copains Davant and any other equivalent of that sort of service in any other country.

Fix your reasoning mistakes mate

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By Ernst-Jan Pfauth on November 26th, 2008:
Thanks for taking the time to comment Lukasz. I understand you expected to see this blog living up to certain journalistic standars – such as avoiding colored terms like “copy-cat”.

I’ve learned these principles during my journalism-related study at the University of Amsterdam and applied them during several jobs and internetships.

However, I decided to sell my soul to blogging. Partly because I could share whatever I want, and partly because I love comments and response.

That’s why I’m glad you took the time to post your interesting comment. You start an interesting discussion, namely: what’s a copycat?

I don’t necessarily think that being called a copy-cat is a negative thing in the web business. Taking successful concepts from a different country and importing has proved to be a smart approach. Even before the Internet existed. Kudos to Popwicz for doing the same thing.

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By Kris on November 27th, 2008:
“I’ve learned these principles during my journalism-related study at the University of Amsterdam (…)
You start an interesting discussion, namely: what’s a copycat?
I don’t necessarily think that being called a copy-cat is a negative thing in the web business. ”

Here is a definition of copycat – do you still say that is not a negative thing ??!

copycat (copycats plural ), copy-cat
1 adj A copycat crime is committed by someone who is copying someone else.
2 n-count If you call someone a copycat, you are accusing them of copying your behaviour, dress, or ideas.
INFORMAL, disapproval The Beatles have copycats all over the world.

English Collins Dictionary – English Definition & Thesaurus Search Collins

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By Ernst-Jan Pfauth on November 27th, 2008:
Hey there Kris, good thing you’re joining this discussion again. When looking up a definition in a dictionary, it can seem quite crude due to the clean explanation.

Facebook definitely uses the first definition, as they’re suing StudiVZ. I’d go for the second definition. Yes, Popwicz is copying an idea and imports it to his country. Smart! Even smarter that didn’t copy the lay-out, like StudiVZ did. Now he won’t get sued and wind up a rich business man. No problem there, positive thing, respect for that student.

I hope this somewhat clarifies my motivation for writing this post and comment. I understand you’re not content with the fact that many people call NK a copy-cat, hopefully this explanation makes it more acceptable for you.

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By Dawid on Dec 2, 2008

Copy-cat approach? Why don’t you loot at facebook developped by a German programer? Was it indeed his idea? I doubt. If you talk to Koreans, they will tell you where Facebook comes from. Do not accuse others if you are not sure you are innocent. F… assholes think everything belongs to them. Loosers.

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By Zoonsky on Dec 12, 2008

I notice it is #7 on the Google list of fastest rising search terms for 2008 worldwide.

http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/zeitgeist2008/

I assume it must have something unique going for it the others have missed to get a 30% uptake by it’s target audience in just 18 months.

Maybe you need to be Polish to understand what it is that is unique and/or better than similar sites.

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By Krys ja on Jan 10, 2009

I think all of you’s are wrong .How would you like to be in their shoes.Have you ever done it or try somethings different in life that some other people don’t understand you.Cause you are one of them .don’t reply .Krysia

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By K on Jan 16, 2009

That’s really sad and embarrassing to see my fellow countrymen behaving like that. For every thousand of nice, intelligent, well-mannered, educated people you have dozen of obnoxious retards with overgrown sense of undeserved national pride. Ernst-Jan Pfauth, please accept my appology.

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