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Messages - JPicker

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1
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: TinEye.com
« on: February 02, 2012, 01:10:28 PM »
Could someone provide the syntax for an htaccess file ...as far as "deny from" ...for the above listed IPs and IP range? Thanks in advance!!!

2
You guys rock!
(I"m also surprised that Julie only requested a cease and desist and didn't demand compensation as well.  ;))

4
I found this (see link below) ... and the IP ranges for Picscout are identified. It's just a matter of copying them, and inserting them into the ".htaccess" file for your web site under the "deny from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" section - and then saving. (As a precaution if you're unsure how to do this, backup your existing .htaccess file first.)

While you shouldn't have any infringed images on your site even though sometimes you honestly don't know that they are - which is what all these scumbags entrap, exploit and capitalize on - this is better than being completely defenseless:

http://williamfaulkner.co.uk/2007/09/picscout-getty-images-and-goodbye-istockphoto/

5
Getty Images Letter Forum / As a public service to all members here ...
« on: October 28, 2011, 06:58:10 PM »
Would it be possible for anyone to post the entire range of IP addresses assigned to Getty, Picsout, Masterfile, Corbis, and any other photo-crawling robots that help and facilitate Getty and the others, for alleged photo  infringement - so that we at least have a shot of blocking them from accessing our web sites? This would be a tremendous public service and empower some of us to fight their slimy and, entrapment tactics.

6
Getty Images Letter Forum / How about an "Occupy Getty" protest?
« on: October 19, 2011, 10:02:46 PM »
I sure love the idea.

7
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Karma is a wonderful thing
« on: August 18, 2011, 11:07:31 AM »
Awwwwwww ....  ;)   ... Perhaps their lawyers will respond with "You know? A simple cease and desist would have been sufficient?"  :P

8
(As Ocsar mentioned) the link is blown/has been removed.

9
In this day and age, the only way you can be absolutely certain any images used on your web site are "clean" is to create them yourself or have a graphic designer create them from scratch. I no longer trust ANY site or company that claims to offer free clip art or free images. How can you be 100% certain? Can you chance taking their word? Will they be there for you if you receive a demand letter from one of the intellectual property companies?

I just finished completely re-designing my company's web site - a process that took several months - and while it was a pain and very time consuming to create all the images used on the site from scratch, at least I can sleep at night knowing NONE of the copyright "police" are going to come after me because I can absolutely prove ownership. Having been a recipient of the infamous "Getty Letter" nearly a year ago for several postage stamp sized images (and hiring Oscar) I don't ever want to give any of these over zealous and extortionist companies the opportunity to try and intimidate me again.

I know this is extreme, but unless you have a need to have commercial looking graphics/images on a web site, don't bother. Instead create your own. It's easy enough to do - just time consuming. You have to factor in the amount of time to create these images vs. the stress factor from receiving an unreasonable demand letter.

10
"Somalian Pirates of the Internet"

An absolutely spot on analogy of MF, Getty and the rest of these extortionist/shysters.
Love it!

11
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Lets fightback
« on: May 27, 2011, 09:11:46 PM »
It's also interesting that almost from the instant a news story breaks say on CNN, within minutes (or hours) of the actual event, there's CNN reporting the story and showing you images on the screen that are minutes if not hours old and good old GETTY IMAGES plastered on the image and are already claiming credit for it - so either they profess to own all the major news event images from the getgo, or, they have their own REUTERS/AP etc. photographers on their payroll ... or they have some sort of blanket licensing agreement with all the news and media outlets. Its highly suspect though isn't it? - and yet like the previous comment, they still feel the need to extort in a cyber mob like shake down, honest hard-working, well meaning people who didn't know. It's a pity they cannot be class action sued - or better yet, get a guy like Michael Moore to make a movie about them and their tactics. Hmmmmmmmmm  ;)  ;)

12
Not sure if makes much of a difference since the tactics are similar, but in my case it was Getty.

13
I'm a Canadian.
Those scumbags sent me the extortion letter last fall. They demanded 3 grand for 3 postage size images that were part of some (supposed) "free" clipart used for a web site. Since there were both Canadian as well as American banking info in the letter, and, since I did not want to give them a dime (after making one phone call and dealing with a dispassionate "automaton" on the other end of the line), I decided to hire Oscar who in turn sent them (1) letter. Touch wood, not a peep from them since last September. I'm sure he can do the same for you. I'd rather hire Oscar and pay him whatever he requires, then begrudge those pr--ks one red cent. Their tactics are grossly unethical, malicious, conniving and utterly contemptible. A cease and desist letter should have prefaced ANY payment demand. Screw them. (My opinions, only.) 

14
Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Someone says this new forum "blows"
« on: May 12, 2011, 03:26:37 PM »
The new site is great, concise and loads quickly.
Aside from the small fonts which are a tad hard on my 50 something year old eyes, it's just great.
(I tend to keep my browser font settings the same from site to site rather than resizing them to each web site visited, but that's just me.)
Keep up the good work!

15
Now this is really preposterous.
I am searching for an image for our web site, for a comedy page.
Ideally a brick wall, with a microphone standing in front of it...the type of thing you'd see in a comedy club stage background. How non-descript can you get?
Check this image out  http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/200162285-001.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=F5B5107058D53DF528F7272F483734C279F5CC6734C985E27A167517442B21436529E79887609E4F  (and do notice the copyright.)
Now I live in a reddish brick house.
I own a microphone as well as a microphone stand.
With a bit of hassle but not much, I could go outside, place a microphone inside a microphone clip,
snap the photo, and use it on my web site. It would look fairly close to the concept in the referenced photo.
Yet I can prove it's mine because the red brick IS my house, and it IS my microphone.
But some of this so-called registered crap are of such "generic" images it almost blurrs the lines of logic and common sense. The infuriating part of it all is that these pr--ks have bots that capture stuff like this from web sites
and then with their lovely letters, try to imply your a criminal.

What's next for them?
Snapping pictures of the blue sky, the clouds in it, the sun ---- and claiming copyright for all of these as well?

I also happen to be a musician.
I hereby declare publicly from this moment forward, that I own all the rights to the F, C, G and E chords (sorry can't find the patents right now) but please do trust me - and for anyone who's ever listened to or performed music encompassing any of these chords - you'll be receiving letters from me soon with cease and desist orders as well as demand payments - doesn't matter if you stop using them in future songs - you owe me and are guilty because I say so ... for having already  listened to them.  :)

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