RE: Disrespecting the Collarme Mgmt Team

I do not disagree with your point, but you are asking a question like this, to a bunch of people who fight authority constantly in wiitwd. So I would guess that a few suggestions from authority figures such as 'The Management' is going to sink in particularly deep.

Pluse that and the fact that humans are like pack animals - it's a natural animalistic reaction to hunt down and slaughter - or at least ridicule - especially something they cannot 'touch'.

(Sorry Erin for going offtopic - but you know me and artshit[;)])

So, most people know what I do for a living [;)]

Websites similar to CM come with avatar sections. These are often shareware products where (sometimes) a company/person/etc pay a one off subscription (this isn't always the case and alot of them are free) where the artists involved have already submitted their work - these include not so famous peeps and more well known artists. It's a well known avenue of promotion and second income.

When CM first started, there were just the basic avatars. CM opened their 'house' awhile back to other artists and people who made avatars (of which there is probably a couple of sections now clearly marked) - general usage and the percentage of the art used all comes into play here as well as manipulation of artworks. The people who submit their work take full responsibility that the work they have submitted is their own and they have gained relivant permissions.

I have created personal avatars for a few people here and it's my work and if someone wanted something really specific, I have contacted said artists and gained their permission.

That said, if someone uses my work as an avatar or profile image, the only time I would protest is if someone tried to claim it as their own and earned money from it.

As Thom Yorke once said - 'It's only copyright if you copy it right.'

So minnetar, there are websites all over the net that use illegal artwork - myspace, geocities, youtube - I know you believe you are pursuing a just cause and your heart is in the right place - but avatar shareware exists all over the web and it is a perfectly legit internet development - and I simply wrote this with a suggestion that you could pursue a much more worthwhile endeavour and save lives somewhere, rather than waste your own precious time on something that would be a fruitless outcome.

Pluse that and the fact that humans are like pack animals - it's a natural animalistic reaction to hunt down and slaughter - or at least ridicule - especially something they cannot 'touch'.

(Sorry Erin for going offtopic - but you know me and artshit[;)])