Paper Trufflez: Just say "No", Part I
I edited the post linked above to illustrate hot-linking. These examples can be seen beneath my signature in that post.
For those that need a little more clarification on a few things:
Image theft involves using or displaying an image (i.e. a photograph that is NOT one you yourself created/took with your camera) found at one website at another website without the image (or content) owner's consent.
(the above has been edited to better clarify what image theft is)
When you make a card inspired by a design you saw somewhere online, upload it at your site/blog, and also include the URL to the original work, in order to credit that artist and so people can go directly to their site to view that piece, you are not stealing anything. You are attributing the source of your inspiration. This is always greatly, and joyfully appreciated!
I can't speak for all, but, many artists prefer that images from their site not be copied and transmitted via email; they prefer that the URL be provided so folks can go directly to the source and view the image there. I always link, rather than pasting someone else's image into an email.
Bandwidth: In basic terms, bandwidth is a measurement of data passing through a transmission path or network connection. The more bandwidth you have, the more data you can transfer.
Not all blog hosting services are free. Mine is not! I pay for it. I pay for a certain amount of bandwidth each month. But, if the bandwidth used at my blog exceeds the limit, I am also billed for the extra bandwidth used beyond that. I get X amount for X dollars. Any time it goes over, I am billed for the overage.
Bandwidth theft involves the deliberate use of additional code that "relays" the file location of an image where it really is hosted/exists, to make it visible on another site (rather than just the URL alone). I actually didn't know the code myself--I had to go research and find it, in order to hot-link Jerri and Jenn's images for my illustration.
Websites that hot-link images and content (sometimes referred to as "para-sites" as in a parasite) from my site/blog are using, and taking advantage, of my bandwidth (not their own) at my expense (I paid for it, and will end up also paying the overage if they cause any by hot-linking), to deliver (display) that information (which they did not create or produce) to their readers over at their site.
It can be likened to siphoning gas from someone else's car, and putting it into your own car, if that makes sense?
What it all boils down to, is if you want to use someone else's images and content at your site, simple courtesy (not to mention copyright law), dictates that you ask permission to do so.
And, as I previously stated: "Ultimately, the answer lies in all of us, by keeping in mind how our actions impact other individuals, and to treat each other with courtesy."
Happy Turkey Day!
Link: Just Say "No", Part III
