Flattery

To get my panties in a bunch over other graphic designers using my image files to advertise their graphic prowess and ability without giving me credit, or asking if it’s ok, or not to get my panties in a bunch over it? Without mentioning names, because that’s really very uneccessary – – this person, whom I happen to think is a very nice person, has an image of my own creation as a large part of their layout. Credit is given to themself as the graphic designer – with a link back to their own graphic/blog design service.

Not really worth getting my Victoria’s Secret lace all in a bundle over, though. I’ve been a designer on the web for almost a decade and this happens on occassion…people just take your stuff and claim credit for it. There’s no easy way to protect it from happening, really. Oh, there are ways to make it a little difficult to do – but, after all, all graphic files are cached, anyways.

I’ve had people take entire design layouts off my blog skin site and claim them as their own creation – it’s truly amazing. I’ve had others take pieces and parts of graphics I’ve designed and called them their own. I’ve had people who even had the gall to hotlink the graphics directly off my server and STILL call them their own creation.

This time, it’s a web/graphic designer who takes other designers stuff – – incorporates it into their layout and calls it their own creation and design…then advertise themselves as a designer looking to make a few $$ off their designs…when, in reality, they really didn’t ‘design’ the whole thing, themselves….they did it with a little help from their graphic design peers at the site next door.

There was a time, back in the day, where I would get uptight over occurrances like these. It’s just not worth the hassle and worry anymore, I guess. I mean, I put it out there on the web – – some people would say that it’s just begging to be taken, hey?

Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say.