On the need to add copyright tags...

[BobTrips]

Why mess up the shot? When one opens the picture a copyright statement clearly is posted directly below the shot.

Besides, the files are only 600x800 pixels, max. If printed at 240 dpi one would get only a 2.5" x 3.3" print. Hardly commercially viable.

If someone wants to steal your photograph for web use all they have to do is clone away the copyright mark. If they're willing to take the picture from a clearly copyrighted page, cloning off the words is a minor issue.

[mdchachi]

My opinion:

The copyright statement next to the photo does not suffice because images can easily be linked from or copied and thereby taken out context. Also image databases such as images.google.com slurp them up.

I agree it won't prevent people from stealing the image if they are so inclined but I think it does help keep honest people honest. And if the image does get copied & used as-is elsewhere, at least my mark will still be on it.

[adam]

TrekEarth does not allow direct linking so it's not really possible to link directly (within another web page) to the images, however your other points are valid.

[mdchachi]

I see the google cache has your trekearth logo in the place of user images. How did you get it to do that? Do you detect spiders somehow and give them an alternate page?

[adam]

"How did you get it to do that?"

See the #6 explanation in the <a href="/faq.php">faq</a> for an explanation on why I do not allow direct linking. As far as how I do this, I use an htaccess file. It is not absolute though, it won't display for most people though, which is good enough.

"Do you detect spiders somehow and give them an alternate page?"

That is a major no-no in the search engine world and could cause one's site to be banned from a search engine if that is done. This is called cloaking by the way.