Tuesday 2 August 2011

Il -2 board hosted by Asisbiz.com



Pictures are a large part of the stuff that makes this blog interesting. Some of my contacts have given me some fantastic images. However when putting these pictures on line, there is always a chance that someone will come along and copy it, and put it on their own site. Or in other words, steal it ! OK so we all 'borrow' the odd pic from time to time to illustrate our articles, usually with a link and a thank you I hasten to add. There are those who would argue that placing images on the web without setting limits on their distribution is tacit agreement for the images’ re-distribution. There are also plenty of forums and sites that re-publish pictures from books with a suitable credit - their view is that this is free advertising so therefore nothing inherently wrong with it..I'm personally not sure about this argument, but would probably come up with a similar line myself if pushed. Many of the authors and publishers I've talked to about this don't accept it either. In fact there seems to be a big divergence between producers of copyright material and consumers on this point. The well-known photographer Scott Bourne says he makes more money from suing people who steal his images than from the ones he sells. He has created software that finds a copyright infringement in minutes after the photo is online. Then he sends an e-mail asking for fair payment in 48 hours. If none is forthcoming then all communications are cut and the next step could well be a court of law....

At a more mundane level many web site owners try to protect images they put on-line, usually by incorporating a bit of Java script into their code to prevent visitors 'right-clicking' an image. A complete waste of time; you can simply inhibit Java in your browser or even do a screen copy with the 'print screen' button, so most of us take other half-arsed measures such a putting a link or a 'water-mark' on the picture. This still doesn't prevent the thief from republishing the image. And if you're sitting there thinking, well, he does that too, then let me tell you I always ASK!

Some of the pics posted on at least one particular link at asisbiz.com ( Fw 190 A, Hubert Engst) were just taken from this blog - they still have my 'mark' on them, although most of them on the particular link I'm referring to happen to 'belong' to jg300.de. But why is there not even the courtesy of a link back?

When I asked asisbiz.com to remove and/or link back my pictures I received the following rather incoherent response from somebody called Malcolm;

" I didn't steal the images they came with the skins. All my images are free and people are forever taking images from my site but that's why I upload them in the first place. As a photographer I also contribute to Wikipedia and upload all my images as copyright free. I'm just trying to build a good historical site. I don't put small images up but only the best I can find. This is history after all and like yourself it's my hobby. Unlike you I don't plaster my website name all over the images which I feel is so unnecessary but you obliviously (sic!) feel otherwise..I won't be taking them down as they are referenced to you..... Matthew  "


You can probably imagine my response.

".. Hang on a moment. You cannot just take other web sites' photos. Maybe when you've done some original research, corresponded with vets etc and received their photos, then maybe you can put your own photos up. I don't see why MY pics should end up on your page..by the way the only pics I mark with my website address are those that I have obtained personally, not just scanned in from somebody else's book - no doubt you do that too.."

To which the delightful 'Matthew' responded;

" ..I don't vandalize photos by putting my website name all over the image. I wont take them down because they show people the difference between someone who honors history and someone who vandalizes it. My parents had their house destroyed by German bombers my Dad was in the RAF. My family has fought German tyranny for two generations so basically get ...deleted.."

Storm in a teacup ? Maybe, but had he bothered to ask and then linked back here I probably wouldn't have had a problem with it - I don’t mind people using the photos I put online as long as they add a credit and link to my blog. There’s a quid pro quo there. Still, two can play at that game...