What is Direct Linking?

[Artistsean]

What is Direct linking? Or whatever that thing is called where people get in trouble for posting pictures? How is it done? Is it using that little button on the post menu that likes like a mountain called "Instert Image"? I just want to make sure i don't do it.

 

[KALEL114]

Hot-linking is when you use a direct link to photo from a website instead of uploading it to a site like photobucket or imageshack. Example:

I right clicked and saved the location of this picture and used the "insert image".

The address is:
http://images.g4tv.com/rimg_606x0/ImageDb3/293131_l/the-last-of-us-screenshots.jpg

This way steals bandwidth from that site, G4TV in this case. The proper thing to do is right click the image, save the image location, then upload it to one of the free photo hosting sites like Photobucket or Imageshack. Firefox has an option to right-click and save directly to your Photobucket account. That's what I use. Here's an example of what the proper link should look like:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/KALEL114/the-last-of-us-screenshots.jpg

Now, we have become very lenient toward hot-linking. We still don't recommend it. The reason is that a pic that is hot-linked can be changed by the site you got it from. A harmless pic could get changed to a picture that is against our rules. You will be held accountable for this and disciplined accordingly. Plus, it's just wrong stealing someone else's bandwidth. Hope this helps.

 

[Artistsean]

Then why is there a button "Insert Image" in the post menu if its not allowed?
I have been using it without knowing what it was exactly or that it was wrong. I wont now, thanks for letting me know. My computer now lacks the ability to upload images to photobucket and I can't really find too many good ones from other peoples uploads on that site, thats why I started using that insert image button. Shoot, I don't know how many pics I did that with. Do I need to go back to all my posts in the pasts months and fix them? I would never post inappropriate images ever.

 

[KALEL114]

Using Insert Image isn't wrong or not allowed. You just need to use a hosting site instead of hot-linking.

 

[Artistsean]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but how would I use a hosting site with insert image? Do you mean photobucket? Instead of insert image?

 

[KALEL114]

It's really easy. With Photobucket, just go and make an account. When you find a Photo on the web you like, right-click and save it's location. Go to your Photobucket account and click Upload. It gives you a ton of options, but you need to click "The Web" option. Right-Click the space they give you and Paste the URL of the Photo you saved earlier. Click "Start Upload". When it is done, it gives you a new URL for your Photo. Right-Click save that and paste it in "Insert Image" and your done.

If you don't want to creat a PB account, then just use Imageshack. Right-Click and save the location of a Photo you want to post. Go to imageshack.com. Where it says "Upload", click the "url" option. Paste the URL of the photo you saved earlier and hit "Upload Now". Right-Click save the new URL they give you and use it in "Insert Image".

Both ways only take a minute to do.

 

[Artistsean]

It's really easy. With Photobucket, just go and make an account. When you find a Photo on the web you like, right-click and save it's location. Go to your Photobucket account and click Upload. It gives you a ton of options, but you need to click "The Web" option. Right-Click the space they give you and Paste the URL of the Photo you saved earlier. Click "Start Upload". When it is done, it gives you a new URL for your Photo. Right-Click save that and paste it in "Insert Image" and your done.

If you don't want to creat a PB account, then just use Imageshack. Right-Click and save the location of a Photo you want to post. Go to imageshack.com. Where it says "Upload", click the "url" option. Paste the URL of the photo you saved earlier and hit "Upload Now". Right-Click save the new URL they give you and use it in "Insert Image".

Both ways only take a minute to do.

I have a photobucket account but because of my computer's problems its been having I cannot upload any images. I click upload and its blank. Maybe it requires Flash or something. So I sort of have to just barrow other's images.

 

[KALEL114]

Then just go the Imageshack route. It's quick and easy.

 

[ComicChick]

tinypic is also another option. i prefer it to imageshack but its just a personal preference