Szoboti wrote:...today i got a letter from someone who's images were stolen by one member here, and he wrote: "This is a constant problem with Phereo."
I have to say that I go through pretty much all new images uploaded to Phereo and there is *VERY* little copying going on. This is definitely *NOT* a constant problem with Phereo.
How much does image theft hurt Phereo in general?
I mean, a lot of great work is on flickr, and we all know, that Phereo is far better in displaying 3D images. So why don't they come over? Is there a connection between the image theft problem and flickr artist not joining in large numbers?
I don't think there is a connection. There is no "theft" going on on Phereo. An occasional copying of an image is not theft and can be dealt with quickly through the site reporting mechanism.
I think that you, professional photographers, are a conservative and whiny bunch. You like to congregate in one area and bitch about the pirates and thieves when the sales are slow and you don't move from one snake pit to another very easily or eagerly
Now, that was a light-hearted comment and I did not intend to wind any of you up. But there is truth in it, anyway - embrace it
On a side note: I'm not a big fan of the save image option in Phereo app for android. We have phereo to see the photos, why save them?
Now you touched a raw nerve with me. Firstly, it is easily possible to download and save an image from Flickr, as you could see confirmed by the efforts of good Mr Rezan here. But secondly, and more importantly - I believe that making saving pictures intentionally difficult is disrespectful to the users of the site. If I see anything like this happening here on Phereo, I'll leave.
I am routinely saving copies of pictures I like on the web. I may not even bother to view them ever again or maybe see some of them for a fraction of a second in a few years time but if I like something I want it stored on *MY* hard drive, where I can see it any time *I* like, not dependent on a whim of the author or a webmaster or a government censor, for that matter. I consider any form of DRM highly immoral, actually, unless it is strictly within the B2B context.
And believe me, my saving of an low res image from Flickr or Phereo is not a lost sale to you. There is no way I would buy it, even for 1p. If you insist, I will just move on and forget about it. People watching pictures on Phereo are not your customers, they are enthusiasts and Phereo's TOS prohibit commercial use without special dispensation anyway.
Having said that, I fully understand your frustration when someone is presenting your work, albeit in a low quality form, as their own, but as I said earlier - it's easy to deal with...
Regards