Wednesday 16 July 2008

Desertion of Post

So, I leave the my workstation to go for a head-clearing walk down the beach. In the hour that I'm away, putting up with the tyre-spinning engine roaring antics of the racers down the beach. A shame, as I've no issue with the folk enjoying their cars ("gear freaks of the world unite"), but I get tired of the light-racing elements.

After taking some snaps, and having a text conversation, I get back and check the messages to find that kindly fb on OutdoorsMagic has noticed someone using one of my photos to help sell their tent on eBay. I'd not been asked. I recognised the photo as being one I took after bagging a couple of Munros in the Cairngorms last year.

Akto Magic 2

(blog entry)

As I was already in a Judge Dredd mood, I penned the following email:

ebayq1

A shame really, as the chap has an Akto. I just don't want to be targeted if the product leaks like a sieve because the UV has killed the outer, or there are rips and tears in it. If I'd been asked by the chap, I'd have politely said "no" for merely that reason.

12 comments:

AktoMan said...

Re-read email and wrote second one...
--
Previous email requesting that you don't use my photo was a bit terse. Sorry. Not meant in any nasty or threatening way. It was meant to be a kindly request that you don't use one of my photos to sell your own tent.
--
I can never tell how people read emails, so always expect the worst. In some cases, I've known people who purposefully mis-interpret my emails. Wholly for the sake of devilment.

paul martin said...

Why worry (twice) - rejoice that someone has recycled. You were never going to make your fortune from this pic - nice tho' it is

AktoMan said...

WTH has making money got to do with it Paul?

It's like opening a copy of Autotrader to find a photo of your car against someone else's sale. Maybe there car has dents in it.

And speaking of making money - you side with the guy who using one of my photos to help make money. It ain't 'recycling', it is a breach of the CC licence:
--
Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.5 UK: Scotland

You are free:
* to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work
* to make derivative works
Under the following conditions:
*Attribution. You must give the original author credit.
* Non-Commercial. You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
* Share Alike. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a licence identical to this one.
--
Why the heck would I rejoice at a breach of the CC and misappropriation of my property?

Like I said, the chap could have asked - and I'd have said "no" in this case. I've happily said "yes" to others in the past, but never for an eBay sale.

AktoMan said...

Oh, and a quick check on eBay re-assures me that I can report the seller.

Forum link

I'll give the chap until tonight before doing so, as I have some hot tent action over the next few days.

Big Kev said...

If you look at his feedback, he's used other folk's photies before. You're quite correct btw, those are YOUR photies and nobody elses.
I gave somebody a virtual slap for lifting one of mine a while ago.

AktoMan said...

LOL - thanks for that, Big Kev. I went back and looked to find a comment "not tent advertised or in the pictures,sent older model,but still a good deal".

Anonymous said...

It must be a bit of a shock: to be selling an Akto, then to get a stroppy email from THE AktoMan.

AktoMan said...

:)

Anyone would think I was stalking Akto sellers on ebay, Simon.

He's also selling other hiking gear. I did wonder about the wood-burning stove. For a fleeting moment.

paul martin said...

(Kev) violence, wirtual or othervise, is never the answer

AktoMan said...

Go tell that to the politicians, Paul.

In the meantime, the sale has finished, with no reply from either seller, or eBay.

As we sit at our keyboards dealing with others sat at their keyboards, where flame wars and threats of "dispute resolution" are bandied around, what else is there but frustration of the people who have been wronged, and the smugness of the wrong-doer.

There's no-one handing out ASBOs, no-one standing up for the guys who just want to get through the day. Just ourselves and a keyboard.

Bullies, thieves, scammers and merchants of despair all get away with it on the Internet.

AktoMan said...

In the meantime, I emailed the buyer to set the record straight.

AktoMan said...

Feedback from the buyer ...
"The tent is fine, a good deal. Thanks for the info but i was aware these were not the pictures anyway."

That's nice. Hopefully many good trips will be enjoyed.

As the photohosting site didn't care either (and still no reply from eBay or vendor). I've switched off the ability to download photos from Flickr. It doesn't stop people, merely deters thieves from right-clicking and pi55ing me off. It would appear that the law is for other people. No change there then.