I don't mind people using my data or pictures as long as they ask permission.
I was really thrilled that Teleskop Service in Germany used one
of my first test shots of NGC253 with a 10" f/4 ONTC Newt in their reviews section here:
I've got something like 50 patents to my name, and have spent a lot of time engaged in the hard-nosed and lucrative defence of my intellectual property.
Happy to say I work with the results of your patents
I've used a couple of IIS member shots without permission as my computer desktop/laptop background. I've had people ask me about them, assuming it's a pro pic like one from Hubble.
It's a great conversation starter because I tell them that some guy from his backyard took it and that I just ripped it off IIS. I feel very comfortable with "stealing" other people's work at this level because it helps spread the message that there is a whole rest of a world out there above the ground beneath our feet and that it is a lot more accessible than people believe.
I've used a couple of IIS member shots without permission as my computer desktop/laptop background. I've had people ask me about them, assuming it's a pro pic like one from Hubble.
It's a great conversation starter because I tell them that some guy from his backyard took it and that I just ripped it off IIS. I feel very comfortable with "stealing" other people's work at this level because it helps spread the message that there is a whole rest of a world out there above the ground beneath our feet and that it is a lot more accessible than people believe.
I wouldn't think that there are many that would object to your stealing for your desktop background
I've used a couple of IIS member shots without permission as my computer desktop/laptop background. I've had people ask me about them, assuming it's a pro pic like one from Hubble.
It's a great conversation starter because I tell them that some guy from his backyard took it and that I just ripped it off IIS. I feel very comfortable with "stealing" other people's work at this level because it helps spread the message that there is a whole rest of a world out there above the ground beneath our feet and that it is a lot more accessible than people believe.
Personal use is of course fine....and the whole point of putting images
up on forums like IIS.
I wouldn't think that there are many that would object to your stealing for your desktop background
I thought the same. And it's 10x cooler to have a fellow amateur's pic than one from Hubble or some other pro observatory (though I use them too). Right now I have my own deep sky photo on my desktop which I'm very happy to look at even though it cannot compete with some of the feeblest attempts of most astro-imagers on IIS.
Im not so sure about making it freely available in full res.
As stated if you put it up you can never remove it once taken and redistributed.
What concerns me is not the cheating amateur who claims its his work or incorporate a few good subs of yours to enhance their own poor images - its the low lifes that rip off information (news, data, pics, reviews, editorials . . . and whatever else) and consolidate it all on their websites and then make money off those websites using other peoples efforts.
If you put up your images there is only going to be a few of them, if they steal 1000's of images they will have a comprehensive site and that will get all the Google hits - you wont even make it on the listing - but they will be at the top of the URL list !
These people are the parasites of the internet
If you dont care that they are stealing it without recognition and are happy to make their lives even easier and wealthier, that is one thing, but at the same time you are also making it harder for those who do set out to try and earn a few pennies from their own work.
I dont think it should be devalued to nothing - even if you are happy to give it away.
Share it and give it away to anyone you want to - but under your control - thats fine with me, but giving it a value of nothing isnt really a good thing. IMHO
Disclosure - I have one of Martin Pugh's NB images as my Desktop and I asked if it was OK !
To expand on this subject, imho) there is a valid case for incorporating data from professional observatories in amateur images when the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. (and of course, credit is given)
One such example is Rolf's 4038/4039 (with Subaru & Hubble layers)
It has been my desktop background since it was published near on two years ago for the simple reason that since that time, I have yet to see a better astronomical image published.. (Pluto came close).
