Cover Thieves

[Fubster]

[attachment=14144:monkey_on_computer.jpg]
(working furiously on a mod to identify thieves before K deletes his catalog)

[BearStyle]

Go codemonkey GO! <3

[Lucan63]

As I have just heard about this, it didn't take me long to find Despicable Me BD by wysmommy posted there. All of us at EFX will do whatever we can to help weed out the thief/thieves. Best I can tell, none were taken from us yet. As always, if we find anyone uploading to other sites without permission, they will be banned and blocked without warning.

[JollyRoger]

jayhawk finally answered my request to have my covers removed from r1db - he said no of course - but would give me credit for them. That's just not enough in my book. I really cross my fingers for fubz' magic fingers!

[Kernie]

Here is what I posted in response to jayhawk on the R1DB forum, thought I'd repost it here:

"With all due respect, jayhawk, if I were to steal your car and sell it to someone else, it would be okay as long as I told them that it came from you?

I appreciate credit being given, but I don't understand the logic behind a policy that does not allow covers to be removed at the original designer's request. You are, in a sense, condoning theft and sending a message to your members that you do not value the designers who spend long hours creating artwork that you feature on your site.

Run your site as you wish, ban me for speaking out if you'd like, but you're essentially biting the hands that feed you."

The key issue here, for me, is that allowing these stolen covers to remain on their site indicates a lack of respect for the original designer. Hirescovers clearly values their designers, they understand that without designers, they would have no covers to fill their galleries, no members to download them, and no revenue to obtain to from subscription fees/credits/etc.

I don't know all the insider details, but these sites are some level of a business and the site owners need to understand that in order to run a successful site, they need to keep their workers (the designers) happy. Jayhawk's mindset shows a disregard for designers and this attitude will eventually cause designers (the good ones, anyway) to be reluctant to post to our a site where their work is not valued. It's already seemed to have started over there, which is why they feel the need to steal covers in order to fill their galleries to keep members shopping there.

I know they think they're doing us designers a favor by giving us credit for our stolen covers, but they're on a very slippery slope with their outlook on cover theft...

It's just sad...

[RRJR84]

I've talked to jayhwak about removing cover sand his answer was in removing the covers it's creates a 404 error and then Google gets upset with him. that was pretty much how he put it.

He has once again told me that all he can do is give credit and i've made him work like crazy to give credit where credit is due.
I've sent a Pm to a supermod but in the end i don't think it will change anything.

Hopefully Fubsters code monkey can create something so this no longer happens, It would really be great loss to lose kernie's artwork, because I am highly addicted to it,lol

[Kernie]

Jayhawk's opinion seems to be that since I used parts from studio resources to make my covers, that my designs are stolen just by their very nature. There's no arguing with that "I'm a thief? You're a thief!" mindset.

I'm out... my designs will stay locked up until Fubs' new system is in place. Even then, I might just quit, I don't have time for this kind of crap anymore.

If you value my work, please let me know somehow, because I think that's the only thing that will convince me that this is a hobby worth continuing. My tombstone won't read, "MD at Hirescovers," I'm pretty damn sure of that, I'd rather spend my time doing something more productive with my life...

[RRJR84]

well Kernie it's your decision but hat really sucks, just look at how many downloads your covers have gotten. I was hoping to buy and then use your incredible hulk TV series covers. I'd hope maybe at the least you might consider pm request for existing artwork to people or some people and maybe that will help you keep track.

Your artwork is something I look forward to every time I log into this site. i really hope there's something that can be done. t would suck for you to quit because of a couples of thief's who are to lazy to make things themselves

[bazzah]

Kernie, I don't think quitting is the answer. It's like a bully telling you not to walk down a certain road, or he will beat you up. I personally would go out of my way to walk down that road as often as I could. Think of the amount of people it would affect if you were to hide your covers away, and cease making them. Not only yourself, as you obviously really enjoy making your covers, but all of the people that have the pleasure of admiring your work, and printing it off to display on their shelves. Why let a bunch of low lifes dictate the decisions you make with something you enjoy doing? Keep your chin up, and fight on! We may have lost the battle, but I am damned if we are going to lose the war

[Fubster]

QUOTE (kernie82 @ Nov 16 2010, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm out... my designs will stay locked up until Fubs' new system is in place. Even then, I might just quit, I don't have time for this kind of crap anymore.

If you value my work, please let me know somehow, because I think that's the only thing that will convince me that this is a hobby worth continuing. My tombstone won't read, "MD at Hirescovers," I'm pretty damn sure of that, I'd rather spend my time doing something more productive with my life...

While I have to agree with you that this is a hobby, not our "life's work"...please do NOT let those thieving pricks sap your joy. Your covers are GREATLY appreciated, and I would be crushed if this issue caused you to leave...which is why I said...

QUOTE (Fubster @ Nov 16 2010, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[I'm] working furiously on a mod to identify thieves before K deletes his catalog

So, this is me "letting you know somehow"