Thread: Image testing
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Old May 01, 2004, 10:59 AM
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dexter dexter is offline
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Member Since: Dec 2003
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,133
<font size=2>Hi sunshine...

It looks like the format of your tag is correct. (if the format wasn't right it wouldn't show the box with the "x")

The problem is that the URL is wrong. Are you sure you spelled it correctly? I can tell the URL is wrong because if I right click the box with the "x" and bring up "properties", then cut and paste the URL directly into my browser address bar, is says "file not found"

The best way to get it right is to "test" the url first by pasting it right into your browser bar. If it works paste the same url inbetween your image tags.

I found this url: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://janimations.net/bearwoodruff.gif>http://janimations.net/bearwoodruff.gif</A> on that site, maybe it is the one you meant to use? Using that URL with the [ image ] tag gives this image:</font>



<font size=1>(Image from <A target="_blank" HREF=http://janimations.net/>http://janimations.net/</A>)</font>

<font size=2>BTW the way you have the tag used in your post title is correct, of course as you see it doesn't work in subject titles, only within the post itself.

There is something else very important to consider that most people ignore. Some people don't want you to use their images on other sites! All images by default are copywrited and as such are illegal to use without permission! (Aside from being rude).

Some sites do allow you to use them, some with certain rules they request you follow. Some sites that expect people to use their graphics post their "permission" and rules on a "terms of use" page. The janimations site has a terms of use page here.

If you look it over you will see that she:
  1. DOES allow you to use her images on her site, and only requests that you include a link back to her site, which I have done above.
  2. Requests that the images NOT BE ALTERED in any way (this is a common request, artists don't want people making small changes to their work and passing it off as their own, nor do they want their work misrepresented by reproducing it after altering it.
  3. This one is important and is usually ignored! She requests that you "Please download to your own hard drive & upload to your server."

    This means that she does NOT want people linking to it on her server!

    This is important because people running a web site pay a hosting fee based not only on how much disk space they use, but how much "traffic" they get, i.e. how many times people access their server.

    If you link to one of her images in a post, then anytime anyone opens that thread to read it, the browser connects to her website to link and display the image. If it is a popular thread, this can lead to a lot of traffic on her site.

    The solution is to NOT link to it on her site, but rather, as she requests, to download the image to your computer and then upload it to your own webspace, then link to it from there. That way your server gets the "hits" not hers. If you have your own webspace this is easy. If you don't, or don't know how to access it, you either have to find someone else to host the image for you or forgo using it.

    I have lots of images hosted for people on my own website but it greatly increases the traffic to my server. As of now my traffic is still under my allowed limit, but if it rises much more I will have to change my plan which will cost about 5 more dollars for me every month. So this is not just an idle rule.

    For the image I showed above, you will see if you right click on it and show properties, that I did not link it from the url that I typed as an example. Rather I followed her request and downloaded it to my site and linked from there, using this url:

    http://www.idexter.com/misc/bearwoodruff.gif

    You are welcome to use that URL to link and post that image in any posts. I am not too near my traffic limit as of yet. When I get close I will have to take the image off of my server but that probably won't be for quite some time. Note that, as with all images, the whole URL that includes the folder structure must be correct, not just the filename. That's why cutting and pasting is the safest way to do it.

Note that there ARE many websites that DO allow you to link to their sites for images, like SmileyCentral.com. These will mostly be commercial sites that ask for registration or show ads or both. For any personal or private sites that allow you to use their images, it is best not to assume that they allow you to link to their site unless they explicitly say so.

And remember that by default, it is ILLEGAL to use any images without permission (contrary to what most people think, copyright law has nothing to do with using the images for commercial purposes, it has to do with making copies for any reason. People think that if they are not making money by selling the images or using them to promote something commercial then copyright law does not apply, this is incorrect. The same holds true for downloading music without permission.)

So if a website says NOTHING about using their images, it is NOT ok to do so without first asking their permission. Many times a simple email explaining what you want to use it for will get a response with permission. If the person is a professional artist then that might not be the case and then you should respect their wishes.

Probably a lot more than you wanted to hear but I think this knowledge is generally important and most people don't know.</font>

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