IotD changes
 

Over the last few weeks I've been considering dropping IotD altogether. It's become a bit too much to handle, and I've gotten pretty tired after over six years of doing it.

Last week Neatorama was hit with a copyright violation, and they are changing how they link, using more thumbnails and avoiding copyrighted images as much as possible. Alex at Neato looked into it and it's something like $2000 for a site like the Cellar/IotD to license an entire AP feed.

This bugs me because I do realize that IotD is often a terrible copyright violator. I have tried to ask permission from obvious copyright holders, even paid for a few shots here and there.

I think I could still do IotD with non-copyrighted images, but it just makes it that much harder to do.

Instead, what I've done is to open IotD for anyone to post to, except Cellar newbs.

Anybody can post an image at any time, as long as:

A) the title format is respected, with the Monthname Day, Year: title.

B) no copyrighted images -- unless you get permission. I urge people who find interesting shots to ask the photographers for permission. Often they are happy to grant permission as long as the copyright is noted on the post, and they get a link to their site.

C) of course, no spam; anything resembling promotion will be deleted right away.

D) in a strange twist, threat rating is ON in this section (it's off everywhere else), and if a thread is poorly rated it will be removed. What's poorly rated? I don't know. We probably should discuss it. Anyway, look for the new "rate thread" tab, and if you like, go and rate the old IotDs. and be sure to rate any new ones as well.

Images should be presented as attachments or as hosted elsewhere; I will make an effort to move this to be hosted on Cellar in order to prevent the images from going away, abuse, etc.

This is the easiest way to handle this; a better way would be to set up some complicated moderation system. I just don't have time!

I dunno... I give that threat a score of 2. Maybe if it were a leisurely discussion while the poster's balls are in a vice, that would be a little more formidable.

Okay, knee-jerk joke out of the way, I have a question: Are photos from major news sites generally considered usable if a link to the story is provided?

In theory, wouldn't this mean all the pics around here are illegal (except the photos taken by Dwellers). Most people don't bother to get permission anyway.

I agree with this one; and it should apply to all picture threads since sometimes a site where a picture is hosted might be down, meaning we won't see the picture. Also, we need a limit set on horizontal pixel size (width) so as not to break thread layout (and besides, not everyone uses 1204 x 768 or higher resolution). If a picture is to big, we can simply use our image editors to re-size it.

All major news sites are not permitted.

I don't post on here very often, but I look at the Cellar IOTD every morning before work as I check my e-mail. It has become an integral part of my day! I often send links to particularly interesting pictures to my family and friends.

I just wanted to say I love this site and would be very sad if you had to shutdown, Undertoad. I hope that you and the IOTD community can come up with a feasible management system!

I don't think that'll happen. He's just leaving it up to us now.

The question is what kind of pix are IOTD-worthy?

Read the archives...that's a good start :).

My thought is we don't grab or even image link to the cool picture but actually toss in a link to whatever picture, news report, or article that has the cool picture.

Then the copyright issue is someone else's problem. We are just discussing a picture on some other site. And really, that is how most bloggers do it.

I looked...but i didn't see a rate this thread tab? where abouts is it?

Near "thread tools" at the top of the thread.

Maybe I'm not yet permitted to rate? Either that or I'm blind, cause I don't see it, either. :o

yeah,...it ain't there.

fuuhhhhhhh -- there it is.

oh, sure.....NOW it's there.

It wasn't until I logged out and changed the scheme. now i see it.....did you just fix it?

i voted terrible for this thread just to be a dick. how do we see what the overall rating is?

They'll show on the forum index page: http://cellar.org/forumdisplay.php?f=10

Me sees it.

It might be a rite inerstin ta be able ta' rate sum other threads. :redneck smile:

:blush: Found it.

IotD
 

I hope you don't quit posting the IotD and I think it is a great idea that you opened it up. I can't imagine the amount of time you have spent "searching" and/or even "stumbling" upon pics to post here. Some of them are quite awesome.

The internet is quite the bottomless pit of interesting stuff. You have made many, many threads with "GREAT" stuff. Opening it is a super idea. It is not difficult to find non-copywriten material on the WWW and it is obvious the types of themes that are allowed.

I stumble across some "heart warming" material at times. I would be more than happy to post a thread every now and then.

Kudo's... :thumb2:

is there anything in place to prevent 2 people from posting an IotD thread on the same day....apart from common courtesy? Also, I'd think it would be rare that 2 people were creating them simultaneously and do it by accident...but possible. then again....i guess it soesnt really matter if it happens...
uh,......nevermind.

Regarding LJ's point, I had an idea...

People create their IotD threads and post them not to the forum, but to an automatic thread buffer program, which releases one thread per day, appropriately dated.
This could also show how many threads were in storage, so if people saw it was low they could get to work.

It's up the flagpole ... any salutes? gunfire?

:moon: ::moons the flagpole::

The problem is that the bulletin board software make it really hard to code up external things that work with it, and then when you upgrade the software the external bits all break randomly.

So I have actually coded part of that solution, but if I'm not logged in when I run it, it does a bunch of really weird unexpected things, such as resetting my user title to default. The software expects all its globals to be set up.

i like the rating thing.......i think everyone forgot about it though

I think if the rate thread selection was a bit more visible, it would be easier to remember. I had to look around to find it. Granted, I don't know if the board can be configured to move or change the appearance of the rate thread selection.

I don't rate any of them. I don't know what's going to blow your skirt up, just read them all. Does anyone come here and just look at the IOtDs that have stars?

So was there a decision made on posting two on the same date? And is it poor sportsmanship (or something) to post a Feb 5 image when it's still very firmly Feb 4 right next to the dateline and evening of Feb 3 in the time zone of the poster? I've got two images I want to post (one from a few days ago and one from today), but as I found them both through the BBC, it takes time to find the original source etc.... well now we're already beyond tomorrow and I think what's the point? Even if I manage to find they're OK to post this afternoon, we might well be up to March on IotD, and I don't think that's how it's supposed to work. That's like getting an advent calendar with preopened doors.

Meh--it's been a solid run for a few days, but there have been many days when nothing's posted. I bet there will be another gap soon. I don't always post stuff I find right away, I don't think there's anything wrong with just holding onto it for a few days and posting at the next convenient time.

mumble..mumble..OK. can't find original owner details anyway, but it's still a bit of a "spoiled surprise" that pics are posted 2 days ahead mumble..mutter..whine..etc.... ;)

One down, one to go -think the copyright on that may be against me, though. ;)

...can I prebook a date? :lol:

Tomorrow, as far as I'm concerned.

I already did that :p

um... stink, becuase i just got here.

what about if you just posted the link to the pic, instead of the actual pic itself?

is it copyright if you copy the pic and the copyright date and location as well?

like [pic] (C) 2008 from www.blahblahblah.com

unchainedzulu, your link is broken.

lol...that's why he's unchained!

If that's the pun you were going for, then boy do I feel stupid. :)

Exactly: unchained = broken link

I'm glad you got it.

I read that username as something like "unhcngzlu" . . .

Well, then zulu's, and we win!

Without permission or payment of rights, using a copyrighted work is still illegal, even if you share the copyright notice and/or photo credit.