New or Seasoned, Need Your Opinion--->

[Cliffhanger]

Hello. My brother is Charles Dearing and I'm bringing his web site out of the ashes again here soon. We're debating two points and I wanted to get your opinions. No one's opinion is wrong, so please post and let me/us know:

The first is minor: Use a Yahoo Mail address or the one for your domain?
(i.e., [email protected] or [email protected] )


The second is quite a bit more important: Charles is somewhat afraid to post photos of his work straight on. He believes it makes it easier to steal his patterns, etc. I believe that posting photos of the work at a slight angle makes them look less awe-inspiring and almost sloppy.

Which one of us is right? Are either of us? Try to see this from both scrollers' perspective and that of a customer who has no idea how to do this kind of thing. Ya know? Someone like me. Thanks in advance

[Marcel in Longueuil]

Hi,

The email with your own domain shows more proffesionnalism than a yahoo address.

As for the second part, you are both right unfortunately.
Maybe Toni Burghout or Sue C. could share with you on this as I believe they have the same fears.

Regards,
Marcel

[Jediscroller]

To be honest, the e-mail thing shouldn't really matter as long as there's an e-mail link (emailto) on the site.
As far as posting pics straight on or an angle, thieves will find a way to steal no matter what you do. Of course, in reality, I think the majority of the market for patterns is off-line. Even the very largest scrollsawing groups have less than a quarter of the circulation of a magazine such as SSWC. Add to that the plethora of folks selling patterns online and it just doesn't seem very viable at this point in time. There are a few who stand out (Tom Mullane, Sue and Toni, hopefully my pal Andy's) but I don't even bother visiting most. This is one of the things that's kept me from bothering with a pattern website though I have quite a few folks encouraging (ok, bugging) me to do so. One of these days when I have nothing else to do maybe. LOL

There are several local scrollers who do buy patterns from me, not quite sure why, hehehe.

[Cliffhanger]

That was my point. People are gonna find a way to steal if they really want to. I suspect the majority of visitors are art enthusiasts and his fans. The majority are honest, I believe...and hope, but regardless, I just think it makes for a more professional-looking site to display it as one would view it if it were here in person.

He doesn't want to sell his patterns, per se, because of theft in the past, just the finished product. He's afraid that patterns could be made from the photographs.

Speaking from experience, he used to do quite well selling CD's of his patterns from his site. I think he should consider it again.

If I can help anyone on the web end of things, let me know. Because of rules, I guess I shouldn't mention any domain names.

[CanadianScroller]

You can always put Charlies name and email across each picture in red.
Red is hard to filter out with a photocopier.
If you put a feathered edge on the text it is hard to do with coputer software too.

[Cliffhanger]

You can always put Charlies name and email across each picture in red.
Red is hard to filter out with a photocopier.
If you put a feathered edge on the text it is hard to do with coputer software too.

I/we've actually considered that, but unfortunately, it takes too much away from the look of the piece...to me anyway.

Any and all suggestions and opinions will be taken into account though. Thanks.

[Minnesota scroller]

I know there is a way to protect images from being saved or copied or printed. I was on a website one time and I wanted to use an image I was looking at, as a wallpaper. I right clicked it and all it would do is tell me it was copyright protected. I have no idea how it's done but with a little research, you should be able to find the technique.

[BobD (Archive)]

The problem with that software is that it only works for IE...Firefox works around it without a thought...

Bob

[Cliffhanger]

Actually, I already have the no-right-click script implemented, I also have a few other tricks but none are absolutely fullproof or cross-browser compatible.

I believe if someone is gonna try and steal something, they know most of the tricks. I am just trying and trying to convince Charles that they need to be straight on. Help meeeeeeeeeeee.

[Daryl185]

if you ever visit Jeff Zaffino's site when ever your curser passes over the picture it will show just a section of the overall pictuer not sure how its done but its an option?

[Cliffhanger]

if you ever visit Jeff Zaffino's site when ever your curser passes over the picture it will show just a section of the overall pictuer not sure how its done but its an option?

Is it his name dot com? I'll probably be able to figure it out if I can get a link.

Well, I found it, but I didn't see what partial images you're talking about.

[Cliffhanger]

Okay. I saw what ya meant. I believe he just simply cuts the pic up and shows that piece only for a close-up view.

[Cliffhanger]

**** that guy's good. Sorry. Had to mention that. I bet Charles really likes to compare his own visions and talents to be like Jeff's. He probably doesn't feel he's quite that good yet, but I think he is. Maybe I'm a little biased though.

[Rolf]

Volker Arnold's web site also does not allow you to download his patterns.

http://www.va-holzkunst.de/index1.html

All you get is the copyright info.

[workin for wood]

I think there is nothing you can do. If you put letters over it, I can just use my imagination to re-create the lines. If you have a no right click, what's to stop me from tracing it off the computer screen, or using a camera to take a picture of it? Not that I personally want to steal his stuff..i don't even do fretwork. All I'm saying is don't waste your time trying to prevent theft, just make a nice looking site and hopefully you'll sell some artwork. Any extra security work is a waste.