a netiquette problem and possibly a request
Okay, so my computer is pretty old - I bought it in January 2000 and I don't think it was the latest model even then. Which means it doesn't have a CD burner, and even though it's been upgraded once, its hard drive is getting pretty full.
None of that would matter much if it wasn't for the fanvids. See, unlike fic, fanvids require having some space on your hard drive, and the only way to get that space is to make sure you don't hold on to too many files for a too long time.
Hence sometimes I have to toss out a vid I really like, to have space to download more of them. (It doesn't help that they're getting larger and larger - some of the vids I have stored are ten times bigger than others.) That's why my vidrecs site is so much more comprehensive than my ficrecs site; it's a way for me to hold on to vids I have downloaded.
Trouble is, vids take up space on servers too. Which means many vidders take down some of their vids to make room for others, and more and more of my favourites are in danger of being lost.
So I thought, hey, that vidrecs site is fairly comprehensive. Perhaps I could just ask if there's someone on my flist who has a CD burner and is willing to cram as many vids as she (or he) can onto a CD and send it to me, if I offered to pay for the postal charges/buy them something off amazon.
And here is where I run into the netiquette problem.
Is it considered acceptable behaviour to burn fanvids onto CDs and send them to friends (who have asked for them)? Personally, I don't see why it should be considered any worse than printing fics and giving those to friends - this is a non-profit thing, after all, and even vidders who make CDs of their own only ask money for postal charges. From one perspective, it could even be considered a good thing: I'd be able to keep more vids without alternate downloading over and over again of my favourites. If the person sending them is within the EU, there isn't even any danger of customs.
But there's something in the back of my head that says this might be a potential no-no.
And so I'd like to know: is it acceptable? Because if it is, would someone please help me out?
If not, I so need to buy a new computer...
None of that would matter much if it wasn't for the fanvids. See, unlike fic, fanvids require having some space on your hard drive, and the only way to get that space is to make sure you don't hold on to too many files for a too long time.
Hence sometimes I have to toss out a vid I really like, to have space to download more of them. (It doesn't help that they're getting larger and larger - some of the vids I have stored are ten times bigger than others.) That's why my vidrecs site is so much more comprehensive than my ficrecs site; it's a way for me to hold on to vids I have downloaded.
Trouble is, vids take up space on servers too. Which means many vidders take down some of their vids to make room for others, and more and more of my favourites are in danger of being lost.
So I thought, hey, that vidrecs site is fairly comprehensive. Perhaps I could just ask if there's someone on my flist who has a CD burner and is willing to cram as many vids as she (or he) can onto a CD and send it to me, if I offered to pay for the postal charges/buy them something off amazon.
And here is where I run into the netiquette problem.
Is it considered acceptable behaviour to burn fanvids onto CDs and send them to friends (who have asked for them)? Personally, I don't see why it should be considered any worse than printing fics and giving those to friends - this is a non-profit thing, after all, and even vidders who make CDs of their own only ask money for postal charges. From one perspective, it could even be considered a good thing: I'd be able to keep more vids without alternate downloading over and over again of my favourites. If the person sending them is within the EU, there isn't even any danger of customs.
But there's something in the back of my head that says this might be a potential no-no.
And so I'd like to know: is it acceptable? Because if it is, would someone please help me out?
If not, I so need to buy a new computer...