I was about to post a photo of one of the things I worked on today, but for some reason, as soon as I sat at the computer, my mind wandered to the subject of people who hot-link images off of other people’s web sites and servers. When I discovered an image of mine being hot-linked for several months before I noticed, I don’t think I ranted enough. I’m still feeling some tension and anger.

People hot-linking an image off of my web site or server actually pisses me off more than someone just flat out copy an image off my web site or server and use their own damn bandwidth to host it. At least I don’t know they are doing it. They have taken something that didn’t belong to them, and they are at least being sneaky about it. But people who have the gall to not only take an image without asking — or paying — but to also keep announcing that fact to my server logs is like a thief breaking into a house, taking a bunch of stuff, and then calling the family and leaving a voicemail saying “I did it, and here’s my address!” every couple of minutes every day, all day. It’s so utterly stupid as to be unbelievable that people continue to not have a clue about copyright. In it’s basic form, it’s simply a rule we all learned as children.

Does it belong to you? No? Then you can’t take it, use it, touch it, etc. It’s not yours. You could ask if they’d share with you.

Didn’t we all learn that at a very young age? The only difference between that and copyright is this: Did you make it? All the rest is exactly the same. Isn’t that easy to remember? Sure, there are a multitude of minute little details in copyright law, but all the common man needs to know is this:

Did you make it? No? Then you can’t take it, use it, touch it, copy it, etc. It’s not yours. You could ask them if they’d share with you.

What the hell is so hard about that?! I know at least most of the people who do this don’t act like that in their daily lives. The problem is they are seemingly incapable of seeing and realizing that these things — photos, craft or art designs, recipes, collections of specifically arranged words or notes of music, and so on — are tangible objects, because unlike actual objects out there is the “real” world, these can’t be held in their hands. It flips me out that there are so many people who can’t grasp that concept, even when it is thoroughly explained to them.

In closing, let me add that not just copying an image off a web site or server but also sucking up the bandwidth on that server, potentially costing someone somewhere money, could probably be defined as theft of services. I pay for the right to use X amount of bandwidth for my own personal use. I do not pay for other people’s rights to use X amount of bandwidth. Think of it like bottled water. I’ve bought a bottle large enough for my monthly usage, and even if I put the dispenser on my front porch, no one has the right to drink it and cause me to have to get another bottle delivered or go thirsty until the next monthly bottle is delivered. Bandwidth is another one of those intangible tangibles some people just don’t seem to be able to grasp.

I feel better having gotten that off my chest. I could go on, but it would just be me frothing at the mouth and saying the same thing over and over again in different ways, with an ever-increasing frequency of curse words. I believe my time would be better spent doing some yoga in the living room.

Forgot to hit the publish button before being distracted by the thought of how good some yoga would feel, and went and did the yoga. I’m better now. Still pisses me right off, but when focusing on every fiber of your own being and concentrating on balance and alignment of those fibers, it’s extremely difficult to maintain any amount of rage.