There are many "don't steal my bandwidth" pages on the web. They are often long winded and hard for the novice or even the experienced web designer to understand. "Don't Even Think About It"(This article) is short and to the point. You will know what stealing bandwidth is in the 3 short minutes it takes you to read this article that is written without any sugar-coating at all.
What is Bandwidth Stealing really?
There are many forms of bandwidth stealing on the web today. However, the bandwidth theft I am focusing on here is image/graphic stealing, and is the bandwidth theft that occurs the most online. It occurs when you find an image you like and you want on your site. And you...
1. Are too low on income to have server space of your own to use -and/or-
2. Are too lazy to upload the image to your own server -and/or-
3. Are uneducated about the crime you are committing -or all of the above-
So is it a Crime?
Yes, it is a crime. The person whose site the image is on that you are linking to for the source of the image is paying to display their image on your site.
First of all, the image belongs to them, not you. What right do you have to say; "Oh, wouldn't this look great on my site?" and just copy the image URL and use it on your site. You have no right at all. It is not your graphic. Even if it is a very common graphic, for example a bullet or an arrow, and you have seen it on many sites. The operative word here is "on." Get it? It is on a site. That site owner is paying one way or another to have that graphic displayed on the web. Perhaps they pay a monthly fee. Perhaps, they use a 'free' web service, however, they have limits on the amount of bandwidth they are allowed to use. By linking to the graphic, YOU have STOLEN from them one way or another.
Secondly, if it is an original graphic that the site owner designed themself(ves), and you link to the source of the graphic to be displayed on your site, you are not only stealing the bandwidth, you are now plagiarizing their work too.
It seems a big culprit these days are the "community" type
What is Bandwidth Stealing really?
There are many forms of bandwidth stealing on the web today. However, the bandwidth theft I am focusing on here is image/graphic stealing, and is the bandwidth theft that occurs the most online. It occurs when you find an image you like and you want on your site. And you...
1. Are too low on income to have server space of your own to use -and/or-
2. Are too lazy to upload the image to your own server -and/or-
3. Are uneducated about the crime you are committing -or all of the above-
So is it a Crime?
Yes, it is a crime. The person whose site the image is on that you are linking to for the source of the image is paying to display their image on your site.
First of all, the image belongs to them, not you. What right do you have to say; "Oh, wouldn't this look great on my site?" and just copy the image URL and use it on your site. You have no right at all. It is not your graphic. Even if it is a very common graphic, for example a bullet or an arrow, and you have seen it on many sites. The operative word here is "on." Get it? It is on a site. That site owner is paying one way or another to have that graphic displayed on the web. Perhaps they pay a monthly fee. Perhaps, they use a 'free' web service, however, they have limits on the amount of bandwidth they are allowed to use. By linking to the graphic, YOU have STOLEN from them one way or another.
Secondly, if it is an original graphic that the site owner designed themself(ves), and you link to the source of the graphic to be displayed on your site, you are not only stealing the bandwidth, you are now plagiarizing their work too.
It seems a big culprit these days are the "community" type
accepted
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Ann!!
. Out of respect for him, I would like to keep the group as he originally intended.
Hi Cassie, you can do either one. If they are yours, please do take full credit! If they are from the net you don't necessarily have to since you are not claiming them as yours. However, if you do want to site them you can, but it's not necessary. Happy posting!
