Internet photo grabber? ? ?

[stoneylonesome]

Just recieved an e-mail ad from Borderbund software advertising a program called
FreePicGrabber. Now I'm wondering if someone gets this program and the type in a key word would some of OUR photos come up, and the people than think that they would be free to use them? here is a quote from there promotion of the software.

Imagine if you could instantly find and download thousands of free pictures from the Internet ... Now you can with FreePicGrabber! Just type in a keyword and FreePicGrabber scours the Internet, finding thousands of related images and downloading them to your PC at your command.

[AXENA]

Just recieved an e-mail ad from Borderbund software advertising a program called
FreePicGrabber. Now I'm wondering if someone gets this program and the type in a key word would some of OUR photos come up, and the people than think that they would be free to use them? here is a quote from there promotion of the software.

Doesn't sound good to me..... I have no problem with members of POTN using any of my photos (for non-comm. use of course), but I have a HUGE problem with anyone with a Borderbund program picking off our pics.....

This could be a real problem for a lot of us out here IMO....

[stoneylonesome]

They have 2 versions this is the link to the "pro" version for around $50 the other one sells for $30 and the email special was $20 I'm not sure how well it searchs for photos or if it's that much better than a google search on say a keyword like barns or barn photos.

http://www.broderbund.com/jump.jsp?itemID=609&mainPID=609&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=FreePicGrabber

My problem it tends to give people the sense that these are FREE to use photos.

[usukshooter]

would some of OUR photos come up, and the people than think that they would be free to use them?

Perhaps. But then I suppose the same could be asked of Google Image Search too. With Google, you at least choose to add your website and thus images to their search engine... of course if you don't add it, you're cutting out one of the ways people find your website.

[AXENA]

They have 2 versions this is the link to the "pro" version for around $50 the other one sells for $30 and the email special was $20 I'm not sure how well it searchs for photos or if it's that much better than a google search on say a keyword like barns or barn photos.

http://www.broderbund.com/jump.jsp?itemID=609&mainPID=609&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=FreePicGrabber

My problem it tends to give people the sense that these are FREE to use photos.

The only thing I can assume is that like every other piece of software, it will probably have a EULA that will take responsibility for the stealing and use of pics off of Broderbund's shoulders and place it on the user..... but who ever reads these..... I know I always simply click "agree" and install the software.... after reading a few, they are all pretty much the same; don't copy this product, and don't use it for illegal activities (see... it can be broken down into 2 sentences really).

But you are probably right... I am sure Google and the likes makes it easy enough anway to find pics that we post.... this just might make it that much easier.... we'll just have to see. Keep an eye out for your Barn pics!

[Scottes]

[root@nexus html]# cat robots.txt
User-Agent: *
Disallow: /*.jpg
Disallow: /*.cap
Disallow: /doesntexist.txt
Disallow: /postimages
Disallow: /fredm
[root@nexus html]#

Google will not find or catalog any of my images, and won't go into places I don't want it to go. Any good-natured robot (ie; almost all of them) will obey robots.txt.

[I Simonius]

[root@nexus html]# cat robots.txt
User-Agent: *
Disallow: /*.jpg
Disallow: /*.cap
Disallow: /doesntexist.txt
Disallow: /postimages
Disallow: /fredm
[root@nexus html]#

Google will not find or catalog any of my images, and won't go into places I don't want it to go. Any good-natured robot (ie; almost all of them) will obey robots.txt.

hey that's cool, where do you have to put it, in the header stuff? and does it have to be on every page or just the index?

thanks

[Desertraptor]

Not the first such application out there. Photograbbers have been around for ages.

[stoneylonesome]

hey that's cool, where do you have to put it, in the header stuff? and does it have to be on every page or just the index?

thanks

Yes Scott how do you do that or where do you apply it. Inquiring minds want to know.:D

[Scottes]

The file robots.txt goes into any directory on your web server, but preferably in the "root" web directory.

Rather than attempt every possible way to do this I'd suggest checking (or searching) for "robots.txt" with your hosting company, or with your web server software if you run your own server.

As one example, with PBase it seems you have to get an Administrator to do it. http://forum.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?t=12237&highlight=robots+txt


I love running my own web server... :-)

[thomascanty]

Perhaps. But then I suppose the same could be asked of Google Image Search too.

That was my thought, too. This has been possible for years already. Not long ago I found out a Nigerian scammer used one of my pics he gleaned off the web in his efforts to scam someone (who fortunately turned out to be a scam baiter and turned the tides). This is why I decided a long time ago to only post low-res images on the 'Net. Go ahead. Search and take my pictures. You can't really use them for anything except displaying them on a PC, and even then they're pretty small. You'll never get a decent print of one unless you ask me for it... :)

[thomascanty]

[root@nexus html]# cat robots.txt
User-Agent: *
Disallow: /*.jpg

My robots.txt file is getting longer all the time. I've added disallow entries for several folders, but I didn't know I could include a blanket entry for all jpeg's! It's in there now...

[AXENA]

maybe we can sticky this thread somewhere? It's late....for me, but I do want to come back to this thread when I know I won't mess up my root directory...

[detzX]

Something you guys may want to look into is dynamic image programs...you pretty much have a program that you pass information too, saw

www.something.com/images.pl?image=001
or something like that and the program finds(not browsable location) that image and displays it to the user. The great thing about this is you can limit who has access to this location so if you only want people to see it from this forum the "referrer" has to be photography-on-the.net. Ever see those images like "bandwidth limit reached" or "this image can not be hotlinked" when you post something from a image sharing site, it's similar to this. Works well, but if they want it bad enough they can get it but it keeps these types of programs at bay.

[Scottes]

Speaking of referrers, a .htaccess under Apache can stop that.

[root@nexus postimages]# cat .htaccess
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !surfglobal\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !itsanadventure\.com [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !tawbaware\.com [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !photography-on-the\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !pmboard\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !ldphotography\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$
RewriteRule \.(jpe?g|gif|bmp|png)$ HotlinkingDenied.gif [L]
[root@nexus postimages]#

I only allow my images to be viewed on certain sites. If someone posts one of my images on another site, but hotlinks it by posting *my* server URL they get a different image:
http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/HotlinkingDenied.gif

Granted, this doesn't stop them from copying my image to another site, but it helps.

[detzX]

As said before too, flash is a good way since they would have to printscreen to get it.

[detzX]

Speaking of referrers, a .htaccess under Apache can stop that.

[root@nexus postimages]# cat .htaccess
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !surfglobal\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !itsanadventure\.com [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !tawbaware\.com [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !photography-on-the\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !pmboard\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !ldphotography\.net [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$
RewriteRule \.(jpe?g|gif|bmp|png)$ HotlinkingDenied.gif [L]
[root@nexus postimages]#

I only allow my images to be viewed on certain sites. If someone posts one of my images on another site, but hotlinks it by posting *my* server URL they get a different image:
http://www.itsanadventure.com/postimages/HotlinkingDenied.gif

Granted, this doesn't stop them from copying my image to another site, but it helps.

That's a good way too but most people don't have access to the config files. :)

[Scottes]

That's a good way too but most people don't have access to the config files. :)
Yeah, as I said: " I love running my own web server..."

But now more people know about this stuff, and perhaps those people will start asking/demanding that their service add the capability. It would be a good thing if PBase & Fotopic and the rest would allow this.

Then again, they might actually do some of this already. I went to CDS's gallery on Fotopic and grabbed one of his image names and could not find it in Google. So Fotopic may block robots already.

It would be nice if those sites allowed you to limit the linking sites though, like .htaccess does.

[detzX]

Yeah, as I said: " I love running my own web server..."
But now more people know about this stuff, and perhaps those people will start asking/demanding that their service add the capability. It would be a good thing if PBase & Fotopic and the rest would allow this.
Then again, they might actually do some of this already. I went to CDS's gallery on Fotopic and grabbed one of his image names and could not find it in Google. So Fotopic may block robots already.
It would be nice if those sites allowed you to limit the linking sites though, like .htaccess does.


Not to bash people on here because I don't know but I would say 90% of the people on here would not have the skills to run a webserver. It would be nice if they had a feature on those sites for this though, make it user friendly and such.

[thomascanty]

RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !ldphotography\.net [NC]

Woohoo! I can steal your bandwidth! :D

[Scottes]

Lonnie, you can post any of my images on your site, no problem. You have my permission.

I'll even give you 20% commission on any sales. :-)

[thomascanty]

Hmm... Y'know, seriously that might not be a bad idea. Once I get the shopping cart I'm working on finished and polished, maybe we can work something out.