Inserting Images: Caution

[BigMoneyJim]

Hotlinking

A caution on putting images into messages from other sites: If you use the IMG tag or button to put an image in a post that is from another site, you should know that some websites hate when you do that and consider it stealing (bandwidth). Some take retaliatory action. A common retaliatory action is to change the image to a message of varying politeness or an alternate image. Some places use offensive images.

What's worse is that you may not realize this is happening due to the way this is done and due to the way your browser caches images. Your first clue something is wrong may be mass accusations of you posting, for example, gay porn.

I suppose the best way to avoid this problem is to use the IMG tag or button for images on websites you know it's okay to use like that, like Photobucket.

 

[WRBT]

Ah yeah there was a classic one where a guy realized thousands of people from myspace were sucking his bandwidth by using an image he hosted so he replaced it with an extremely foul image that I won't even describe.

Truly hilarious read = http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/000278.html

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm reminded of the idea that sometimes a vacuum is better than what nature occasionally decides to fill it with, meaning perhaps the replacement content may be an improvement in some cases?

 

[REWahoo]

...meaning perhaps the replacement content may be an improvement in some cases?

I can assure you the "replacement content" in the incident which sparked BMJ's caution post was not an improvement.

 

[HFWR]

My sources say it was an "Elvis impersonator"...

 

[crazy connie]

I know what it was and who one of the OP's it happened to. Let's suffice to say it put me off my mornings coffee!

 

[Khan]

Ah yeah there was a classic one where a guy realized thousands of people from myspace were sucking his bandwidth by using an image he hosted so he replaced it with an extremely foul image that I won't even describe.

Truly hilarious read = http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/000278.html

I really liked that the company that was stealing his image and his bandwidth complained to him and insisted he change the image back. That is so many levels of stupid.