Grabbing A .GIF From A Website...

[Mayo]

On rare occasions I find a neat background image on a website that I think might work on my desktop.  Usually, I can use Netscape to view the website info and then get a copy of the gif or jpeg.

But in the case of this website http://membres.lycos.fr/tamjam/ I can see the reference to the background image in the source code, but I cannot find it when I view the page info.

Any ideas how I can accomplish this seemingly simple task?
 
 [ 05-01-2003, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: Mayo ]

[Paddy]

Mayo, on a hunch I simply added it (the image name) to the URL for the page and bingo.    

It's here:

http://membres.lycos.fr/tamjam/bgrainbow7.gif

Unlike the way a lot of people (including me!) organize web site files, this person simply dumped everything in the main folder. All my images go into "image" folders - and sometimes into further sub-folders, depending on how big and complicated the site is.
 
 [ 05-01-2003, 04:08 PM: Message edited by: Paddy ]

[Mayo]

Thanks Paddy!  I don't know enough about how websites are configured to have figured it out on my own.

I have the image on my desktop and it looks AWESOME, just right for this ol' Deadhead.

[Xairbusdriver]

I will assume that this image is only on your desktop. Some authors/artists/designers may be happy that you like their work but may not appreciate your using it without permission/attribution/payment.     Especially if it is on a public web page.        

Jim C. (formerly of the image police!)

[Mayo]

Jim, since I make my moola by licensing copyrighted images I am senstitive to the issue of unauthorized use, and yes, this is only on my desktop.  In fact, I was wondering how a person might copyright this particular image, since it is a tie-dyed pattern that resembles a water-color wash (I think that is what it is called...).  I'm not even sure that it would be possible to copyright such a thing.

Anyhoo, if I was contemplating any use covered by the copyright laws (which I have successfully used to extract payment from people who have used my images without permission) you can be assured that I would contact the webmaster regarding my plans.

I may be wrong, but judging from the website I wouldn't be surprised if the background was "borrowed" from somewhere else.  There are no copyright notices and the website appears to be non-commercial in nature.

[Xairbusdriver]

No 'evil' intensions implied by my response! Didn't mean to imply any, anyway. I think we have a very honest group here! Hope I didn't offend you!  

And I'm sure you know more about this area than I do. I seem to recall reading about a way to embed a 'signature' in any file that could be used later to identfy the original owner of the file. It was referred to as a 'watermark.' Maybe kelly will come up with a link to it, I'll search for something in a while.

Jim C.

[kelly]

Moi?  

Secure Galleries

"Users of Photoshop's Web Gallery feature, especially those who are concerned with copyright infringement, will be happy with the new Watermark feature, which automatically generates watermarks, including ones that contain copyright information, photo or illustration credits, and just about anything else you might imagine."

http://www.macworld.com/2002/04/features/p...hop/index4.html

http://www.macworld.com/2000/07/create/copyright/

[Mayo]

No offense taken.      I was just making clear my position on the topic and that I had considered the ramifications of my actions; I even debated posting the question should it be taken the wrong way.

From what I read at the second link Kelly provided I doubt that the tie-dye pattern could be copyrighted because it isn't significantly unique to qualify for protection, which confirms my initial thoughts on the matter.  Ideas also cannot be copyrighted...an idea must be physically manifested in some form before it can be protected by copyright.

Something else worth knowing is that although a creation is immediately covered by copyright laws when it is produced, the maximum protection occurs only after the copyright is registered.  After something is registered the law allows for recovery of up to $150,000 per unauthorized use; if something isn't registered options for compensation are practically nil.

Say someone uses ten images on a website without permission...they are liable for up to $1.5 million in damages.

I can tell you that the simple fact of registration can make an infringement an open-and-shut case, and infringers routinely settle such cases quickly because of the likelihood of facing significant penalties in federal court.  In the one case where a client violated our contract and reused my images without permission, all I had to do was cite the copyright statute, name my settlement requirements (significantly higher than the normal licensing fee...) and the check was cut immediately.  Sweet!