DPS encourages you to break Flickr TOS

[fletch]

This recent post on the DPS blog launched a new feature allowing you to embed images in commnets.

Embed Images in Our Comments Section – NEW FEATURE

It is done using a pop up dialogue box where you can paste the img URL. This creates some BB Code IMG tags that embed the image in the post. The post even shows how you need the img URL ending in .jpg rather than they photopage URL and uses flickr as an example.

However it is nearly impossible to follow the flickr terms of service when using this feature. The Flickr TOS state that if you use the image file hosted on flickrs servers on an external site you must link back to the photopage containing the image. DPS should at least acknowledge this in the blog post but I would sugest it is imperative people can simply and easily link their images. Allowing the HTML that flickr provide to be posted would be the easiest way.

Come one DPS, get you act together, at least don't use flickr as your example.

[smc1377]

Why is it "nearly impossible" to follow the TOS? Are you not able to still create a link back to your Flickr site within your comment?

That's like blaming Ford for me breaking the speed limit cause they made a car that allowed me to exceed the speed limit. I can still control how fast I go, just like you can still create a link back to your Flickr site in order to conform with the Flickr TOS.

[fletch]

Originally Posted by smc1377

Why is it "nearly impossible" to follow the TOS? Are you not able to still create a link back to your Flickr site within your comment?

That's like blaming Ford for me breaking the speed limit cause they made a car that allowed me to exceed the speed limit. I can still control how fast I go, just like you can still create a link back to your Flickr site in order to conform with the Flickr TOS.

The only way for the picture to link back to the photopage is to use a bizare combination of HTML and BBCode. Its not intuitive and its harder to do it than not to. It would be like Ford making a car that wouldn't go slower than 60 unless you went under the bonnet (hood) and crossed two wires that weren't labelled and it wasn't in tha manual. (To stretch the analogy to the limit)

Doesn't matter now anyway as it appears flickr have noticed and contacted Darren and asked him to sort it.

The last thing we want to happen is for flickr to block its images from being embeded here because so many people are not following the rules.

[smc1377]

My point is personal responsibilty. You said that "DPS encourages you to break Flickr TOS". That's like saying that car manufacturers encourage us to break the speed limit by making all cars capable of going twice as fast as most states legal speed limits.

The TOS is between the user and Flickr, not DPS and Flickr. Would it be nice if this new feature made it easier to link back to Flickr? Sure. But just because it doesn't, doesn't mean that DPS is encouraging anyone to break Flickr TOS.

[jdepould]

Originally Posted by smc1377

My point is personal responsibilty. You said that "DPS encourages you to break Flickr TOS". That's like saying that car manufacturers encourage us to break the speed limit by making all cars capable of going twice as fast as most states legal speed limits.

Speak for yourself. My car can do MORE than twice the highest limit in New York.

[Walkere]

Originally Posted by fletch

The only way for the picture to link back to the photopage is to use a bizare combination of HTML and BBCode. Its not intuitive and its harder to do it than not to.

Umm... what is so "hard" or "bizzare" about it?

I just posted a comment with an image on that post, and I easily included a link back to the Picasa Web Album I took the photo from. I clicked the link to add the img tag, then I manually added an anchor tag with a link back to the Picasa Web Album.

You could also wrap the anchor tag around the img itself. The code would look like this...

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6v6CB40kUZl1nnJej2l6EA?feat=directlink">[IMG]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_wbm1kwCxK64/Sqw47z40olI/AAAAAAAAAzU/fWLoDoxvQiA/s400/DSCN5187.jpg[/IMG]</a>

That should produce the following...




Does it require a basic knowledge of HTML? Yes. But it's an extremely routine piece of code, and anyone with the most elementary knowledge of web design can construct an anchor tag like that. Hardly "bizarre" if you ask me.

- Walkere

[nathanbarlow]

or use the html code given on flickr, and run it through this

[ZannieGirl49]

Originally Posted by Walkere

Does it require a basic knowledge of HTML? Yes. But it's an extremely routine piece of code, and anyone with the most elementary knowledge of web design can construct an anchor tag like that. Hardly "bizarre" if you ask me.

- Walkere

So, everyone is supposed to have an elementary knowledge of web design to be able to add images to their DPS comments? That leaves out a good number of people.

Originally Posted by nathanbarlow

or use the html code given on flickr, and run it through this

This looks like an easy enough solution for anyone to use.

[Rolling Stone]

I do have the flickr link in my sig. Hope I'm not breaking any rules if I use the new feature.

[Darren Rowse]

Don't stress gang - we're working on it WITH Flickr. They're aware of what we're doing and we're aware of their TOS and we're working to finding a way that both sites can benefit from it.