explanation to what hotlinking is - and why it's bad.

Dj_Jestar · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:14

Basher said:
Hotlinking is in no way like stealing a bike/car etc.

I'm financially at a loss, inconvenienced due to my site going offline because of limit exceeding, whilst someone has used my image, and my bandwidth with no consideration for me, and for free. There are also many cases of people using other's images for gain (re-selling someone elses web-templates being the main offender..) without royalty or consent.

Hmm.. yeah, nothing like it at all.

Basher · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:18

Dj_Jestar said:
Hmm.. yeah, nothing like it at all.

Spot on. It's the responsibility of the individual managing the web space to ensure that access is not granted outside of the methods intended for the use of the site. It is not like stealing a car/bike etc. You have put a picture online, people have viewed it. Perhaps more people than you were expecting, but people nonetheless. Where's the theft?

Freefaller · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:18

Whoever's responsibility it is, people leeching bandwidth from other people and presenting it on our forums is not acceptable.

Dj_Jestar · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:19

Basher said:
Spot on.

couldn't answer to the rest of the post then, eh?

Where's the theft?

In the part of the post you ignored.

Basher · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:20

Dj_Jestar said:
couldn't answer to the rest of the post then, eh?In the part of the post you ignored.

I didn't ignore any of the post. I fail to see the theft.

Dj_Jestar · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:24

Ignored it again, I see.

Basher · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:29

Dj_Jestar said:
Ignored it again, I see.

Nope. Agree to disagree I think. I absolutely don't see people using publicly available images as stealing. It's on the Internet not in your house.

Dj_Jestar · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:40

Basher said:
Nope. Agree to disagree I think. I absolutely don't see people using publicly available images as stealing. It's on the Internet not in your house.

It's not publicly available.

Basher · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:41

Dj_Jestar said:
It's not publicly available.

It's on the Internet :confused:

Dj_Jestar · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:43

Basher said:
It's on the Internet

My car is on the public road :confused:

Basher · 27 Oct 2009 at 16:49

Dj_Jestar said:
My car is on the public road

The sole purpose of an image is for people to view it. You have placed it online where it can be viewed. You creating a platform for users to view it through does not limit users to viewing solely through that platform (unless restricted)

A car has many purposes, you do not place it on a public road for others to utilise its prime purpose of driving it but rather as a transport mechanism. I fail to see your point.

We're not going to agree on this. Lets stop.

Dark_Angel · 27 Oct 2009 at 17:04

If people want to offer alternative's to imageshack, please feel free to list them. I will be only to happy to add them to my OP. This also includes scripts / programs that auto upload it for you.

Dj_Jestar · 27 Oct 2009 at 17:33

Basher said:
The sole purpose of an image is for people to view it. You have placed it online where it can be viewed. You creating a platform for users to view it through does not limit users to viewing solely through that platform (unless restricted)

A car has many purposes, you do not place it on a public road for others to utilise its prime purpose of driving it but rather as a transport mechanism. I fail to see your point.

The sole purpose of a car is to be driven (unless restricted to the person whom purchased it) .. doesn't really work, does it? If someone takes your keys, and then drives off in your car, it's still theft. If someone uses my image/bandwidth, without my agreement, it's theft.

We're not going to agree on this. Lets stop.

After you.

Janesy B · 27 Oct 2009 at 17:39

Basher said:
It's on the Internet

You are using THIER resources for free. It is publicly available to visitors of their site. When I had my website going someone hotlinked and killed my bandwidth for the month and left me out of pocket. I replaced it with something unsavoury to return the favour.

It's exactly like someone syphoning petrol out of your tank because it's "publicly available". If you can't understand why bandwidth theft is a nuisance, then you are very thick.

Feek · 27 Oct 2009 at 17:39

Basher said:
Lets stop.

Dj_Jestar said:
After you.

Yes, you have stopped.

V4NT0M · 27 Oct 2009 at 18:04

Dj_Jestar said:
lol @ you, how is it not stealing?

I put files on my site, for people to look at whilst looking at my site. I do not put them on for people to use on their own site, nor other people's sites.

Who stole from you then? The person who hotlinked the image? All they did was write some words on a forum which equated to the address of your image, or was it the people who visited the other site? Did they steal from you even though they had no knowledge of where images on a page may be coming from.

What's the difference between someone viewing the image within another site or following a link directly to the image? I assume that you will be reporting this theft to the police?

What was stolen?

Basher · 27 Oct 2009 at 18:33

Skyfall said:
Who stole from you then? The person who hotlinked the image? All they did was write some words on a forum which equated to the address of your image, or was it the people who visited the other site? Did they steal from you even though they had no knowledge of where images on a page may be coming from.

What's the difference between someone viewing the image within another site or following a link directly to the image? I assume that you will be reporting this theft to the police?

What was stolen?

Nothing was stolen. Something was used in a way they didn't intend or foresee.

Feek · 27 Oct 2009 at 18:35

I said enough already on the bandwidth stolen thing.

craptakular · 27 Oct 2009 at 19:51

Greenlizard0 said:
I think if people know how to copy/paste a link such that a forum can then display it they know what hotlinking is. They're just being lazy.

i didn't know!

Dark_Angel · 30 Oct 2009 at 22:28

I've updated the post with the link to the FF photobucket addon.

If anyone has any other useful tips please post them so I can insert them in to the OP.

(tips are addons, free image hosts).