This is a rant that was posted about respecting free graphics sites.
What tweaked me so much about this incident is that I worked really hard to create the graphics in question. I put them up to give away and only ask for a link back so that others may find the graphics and use them as well. I then run across this site with my graphics and find no link back what so ever, which means no credit for my work.
Makes me wonder why I even bother sometimes...
Blessings,
Gwen Wolfrose
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Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2000 12:35:47 -0700
Not too long ago Gwynarion and Gwen exchanged thoughts about the size of her copyright notice on MagickDream.com
Well it seems that it was not large enough.
I know a large number of list members create graphics which they put up on the web for others to use on their web sites. Most of these same people request that those who use their graphics provide "A Link Back To Their Site!" and /or a notice of Credit.
Why?
First and foremost in my mind is that others will also be able to find and use these same (or other) graphics. Then there is the fact that many of these same people create Graphics for pay also. I know that we do.
So what started this rant?
Gwen was doing some surfing and came across a site that had some of her buttons, from one of her new sets. At first she was happy, as she likes to see her graphics being used by others. Then she got a little upset (understatement) as no where on the site was a link or credit given to her or Magick Dream Grafx for the buttons (and a bar).
This rant is not so much about copyright as it is about .R.E.S.P.E.C.T. !!!
This person liked her graphics enough to use them, but they don't have enough respect for the artist to give her credit and a link. Is this a new Pagan attitude I wasn't told about? I hope not! I think that is a sad state of Pagan WebCrafting when we can't take the time to honor the terms of use for the graphics we put on our web sites.
"...but, sometimes people lose the address of the person who they borrowed the gif or jpg from."
Before I learned to create my own graphics, I sometimes lost urls, as a rule I would not use those graphics. One way to not lose the url is to create a "shortcut" to the site and place it in the same folder with the graphics. Another trick is when you save the graphics to your computer name the folder for the website i.e. graphics from MagickDream Grafx would be in a folder called magickdream.com
St.Parker
Digital Graphic Artist
Even more infuriating than this are the people who blow it off with "imitation is the highest form of flattery." Well, I somehow doubt that companies would appreciate people stealing their products because it is a sign of respect.
Yes, it has always been beyond me as to how someone can find graphics suitable to represent themselves on their Web presence, and yet do not think the creator deserves their credit.
Some people think credit links are ugly and don't want things like that "cluttering" up their pages. I'd say people like that should be invited to make their own graphics. And *I'm* not even a real graphics creator. I created a lot of simple graphics but none of them are anything special. I just know that if I can't remember where I found a pretty graphic, I do *not* use it.