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      Website Design Tips

      Copyright Issues

      When you're browsing the web, chances are all the images and content you see are copyrighted in some way. We all know how easy it is to "steal" graphics, fonts, text, etc. But here are some good ways to avoid breaking copyrights. Please respect the hard work of other web authors, artists and writers and follow these simple rules:

      • Never link directly to someone else's image. If you know the images are free to use, (and often they're not) then do the author a favor and copy the image to your own server. This prevents excessive slowdown in loading time (bandwidth) of that person's page. It also means your own pages will load faster, and you won't have to worry about the image disappearing because the website was updated.

      • Ask permission. If you see something on another website that you would like to put on your own website, email the owner of the website and ask permission before copying. In many cases the owner will be happy to give you permission, although sometimes he will ask you to include credit with a link back to his site.

      • Altering images. Even if you have permission to copy a copyrighted image, that doesn't mean you have permission to alter that image for your own purposes. So if you want to change the size, color depth, or alter it in any other way - again you need to email the person who owns the copyright and ask for permission.

      • HTML code. You can see the HTML code for someone else's website by using your browser's "View - Document Source" menu, or even copy it completely with "File - Save As". This is an excellent way to teach yourself how to do things such as tables and sound files. However, if you copy large sections of HTML code and then put them on your own website, that is also breaking copyright. Use this as a learning tool only, unless you get permission from the owner. The same applies to Java and Javascript code.

      • Whenever possible, pay all shareware fees. If no one ever paid shareware fees, many people would simply stop offering free downloads. We don't want that, do we? Once again, respect other people's hard work.

      • Give credit where credit is due. Since I know the majority will never pay shareware fees, at least give a link back to those from whom you take graphics and fonts. Then they at least get something out of the exchange.

      Copyright is a "Golden Rule" issue. You wouldn't want people to steal from you, so don't steal from them, and everyone should be happy.


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