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Author Topic: Photo Posting Reminders & Tips - Please Read  (Read 13414 times)

Offline BrokenOkie

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Photo Posting Reminders & Tips - Please Read
« on: July 02, 2008, 06:03:31 PM »
Photo Posting Reminders & Tips

Images can be big in two ways -- by file size (KB/kilobytes) and/or by pixels (display size).  When looking at photos on the web, it is the file size that will affect how quickly or slowly the image loads in your browser.  The forum software will automatically resize any image posted that exceeds 640 pixels, horizontal or vertical, so we are primarily concerned with file size when people post pictures to the forum.  Members who have slower internet connection speeds can really be affected when they try to open a page with large pictures in them.

Please keep these rules of thumb in mind when posting pictures:

•   No pictures or animations larger than 200 KB (204,800 bytes) (Allowed file size increased 7/08 from 100KB to 200KB)
•   Limit of one picture per post
•   Avatars should be 65x65 pixels and no more than 40 KB
•   Banners within signatures -- no more than 50 pixels high and 600 pixels wide, and 40 KB

If your image file size is larger than 200KB, please resize it before posting.

NOTE:  The automatic display size adjustments do not reduce the file size or the time it takes for an image to load.

If you have questions or need more information, please refer to the Forum FAQs.  If you'd like to experiment The Sandbox is a great place to practice.



Hotlinking:  As you all know, this forum has a policy against hotlinking images.  However, there seems to be confusion about exactly what hotlinking is.  We hope this information will be helpful to you.

Scenario #1.  You want to post an image here.  You go to a photo-sharing website and do a search on the public images.  After finding one you want, you follow the photo-sharing site’s directions for linking to an image, and post it here.  The image then appears on the page here.  This is NOT hotlinking, because the photo-sharing website is hosting the image.

Scenario #2.  Now, let's say you do a Google image search for that same image.  The page with all the thumbnails appears.  You click on the thumbnail, and go to a page with the image on it, and the thumbnail on the top.  If you click on the thumbnail again, you get just the image, with a URL on the top.  You then highlight that URL, and paste it here, between the image codes.  The image then appears in a post.  This is hotlinking, and is against forum policy.

Why is it a problem?

It's a problem because Google doesn't host the picture.  Google has searched for the image, and connected you to a website that does host the picture.  When you "hotlink", you are using bandwidth of the host website, which someone else is paying for.  Linking photos on the forum is permitted, but only if the rules of the photo-sharing site you choose are followed.

Policies about Signatures & Avatars

No garish or distracting signature blocks or animation: We want the focus on the content. Please keep signature blocks to 10 pt font max--which will match the page--and free of large pictures. Please refrain from distracting animations.

This image shows the maximum size of a signature banner:


Avatars should be 65x65 pixels and no more than 40 KB.

Please take a moment to check your signature blocks & avatars to be sure they're in compliance with our forum policies.  If you have questions not covered in the Rules, Policies or FAQs please contact a Tech Team member or a Moderator.  We'll be glad to help!
« Last Edit: November 03, 2011, 02:24:23 PM by donna »