8 replies to this topic

[ink_in_face]

Can anyone use a graphic on their website if they don't own the copyright, don't have permission, but show the copyright details and where the image is from and have a link to it on its original website?

[biscuitrat]

ink_in_face, on Aug 2 2005, 09:23 AM, said:

Can anyone use a graphic on their website if they don't own the copyright, don't have permission, but show the copyright details and where the image is from and have a link to it on its original website?

It's probably all right if it fits into these categories:
1) The illustrator of the image agrees (e-mail them to make sure)
2) You link back or credit them in some way.

However, if I need something for Photoshop or something to modify upon, I just google it, save a picture, and continue to mash it into something entirely different from what it was. Personally, I tend to avoid free-images-for-you websites because the quality of them isn't generally good. It doesn't give you the satisfaction of making your own. If it's one of those types of sites, you don't have to credit them because what more could they expect than people giving their site hits?

Meh.

[BuffaloHelp]

Simply, no.

But people do that anyway regardless of warnings and threats. The proper thing to do is contact the owner of that material and at least attempt to ask for the permission. It's easy to feel that, 'well since the copyright by someone is shown within the graphics so my conscience is clear' but what you are forgetting is that you still decided to use it without 'okay' by the author. Or the fact that 'the other webmaster didn't ask for it so it's okay for me to use it as well' is also not good (I was going to use the word wrong but who am I to say you're wrong or I am right ).

There is an exception. If the image/photograph is copyrighted but the original author clearly expressed that ‘you may use it without my prior consent’ then you are free to do whatever you like to do with it.

If you are worried about others using your image/photograph TRAP17 hosting offers Hot Link Protection where people cannot just link to your site and grab the image/photograph from another site.

[Johnny]

I agree with them, to an extent. I mean, it's kinda ridiculous to do it for -every- image you use. I mean, biscuit and buffalo, you both have someone else's artwork in your sigs (the vgcats guy and the dancing banana.) But yeah, big stuff you'll want permission for.

[BuffaloHelp]

Actually I asked it was alright to extract just the dancing banana from the whole line up of dancing fruits and vegetables and the creator said it was alright. I have the email. What is interesting is that IPBGaming placed the dancing banana in similies without asking me or the original creator.

And my avatar was created by me to be animated from a kid's simple drawing.

[Johnny]

BuffaloHELP, on Aug 2 2005, 11:57 AM, said:

Actually I asked it was alright to extract just the dancing banana from the whole line up of dancing fruits and vegetables and the creator said it was alright. I have the email. What is interesting is that IPBGaming placed the dancing banana in similies without asking me or the original creator.

And my avatar was created by me to be animated from a kid's simple drawing.

Oh. Well jeez, talk about Captain Polite. I wouldn't have gone as far as emailing someone about a banana.

[biscuitrat]

Johnny, on Aug 2 2005, 03:00 PM, said:

Oh. Well jeez, talk about Captain Polite.  I wouldn't have gone as far as emailing someone about a banana.

In my defense, the rat was talking to me and telling me wonderful things. To be parted with such a rat would be disastrous. But I'm on the verge of making a new one anyway.

[Saint_Michael]

hey buff where do you think all these renders i have loaded on my file site and use in my sigs, i don't bother with it since im ripping off the ripper who originally ripped off the copyrighted material.

if you cold figure that one out good for you, but anyways the best thing to do is hot link the image to make it easier most gaming sites do it, but since this is trap asking permission is the lol"right thing to do" hahaha

[moldboy]

I'd like to jump in here, you asked can I?, the answer is yes, even if you can't right click you can still print the screen or (if you really want that image) browse through your cach, However I believe the question was can I 'legaly', well in most cases no. As was mentioned if it says, may use without concent, then yes, if it doesn't say, well that is a murky subject, I'd say yes, you know the argument, there might not be a law suporting it, but there also isn't anything against it! But if the webmaster were to contact you if they found you using there image, and ask for its removal, I'd say you pretty much have to. But if it copyright, not to be used withoug the authors permision, then the answer is NO!

Copyright is really a murky subject, and it depends who you ask, so people say if you modify it then it's alright becuse you made it, but would that not be plagerism?, can you take a book and rearrange some of the sentances and call it yours? That being said can you quote a gook using footnotes in an essay? Yes, then that is in effect linking back to the origional work, and when you do it in an essay you don't ask the origional author, it is just assumed.
I'd say ask, if they say no respect it, or trace it (with a brush in photoshop, or Fireworks) then it is yours, you made it!