It's a Godsend... I frequently find images I post on other forums (animation related, etc.) and the best way to prevent it is to teach them to host it themselves. bandwidth aint free you know!!!
For those with a recent version of cPanel it's easy... Find this button:
Then list the sites you want to ALLOW to hotlink your images, like your own and places you post images. Then set an alternate image for those who aren't on the list. When those people link to an image they get your replacement image instead... like mine here:
The alternate image is a bad idea. They are still stealing bandwidth (excepally with such a large image) you are just directing them to the images you want them to steal... if that makes any sense at all. I just block them and let them get broken images and when they contact me I give em hell >^_^
I think it's great, and very embarrassing to the leecher since they don't see it because their browser caches the original image... They link it and go away and other people laugh at them. Then they quickly take it down.
You can make it very small in file size too so it doesn't use much bandwidth... quality isn't a concern since the message is more important. Teaching people that it's wrong to leech bandwidth.
Regardless of whether you use an image swap or not, turning of leeching is a good idea.
Another thought, one I'm not too sure Svet would be into... But a suggestion none the less...
I pay about $20/month for 100GB of bandwidth and I've never topped over 60GB in a single month. It's a nice cushion to have... at a price. BUT I also use GoogleAds on my forum (one banner ad after the first post in a thread) and I earn about $40/month. No one likes advertising, but when it more-than-pays the bills it's nice.
Huh! That's all very interesting, thank you very much, John! :D I do have the cPanel thing you describe and recognize the icon. Yay! Google ads are also a good idea... I'' have to think about this.
For those with a recent version of cPanel it's easy... Find this button:
Then list the sites you want to ALLOW to hotlink your images, like your own and places you post images. Then set an alternate image for those who aren't on the list. When those people link to an image they get your replacement image instead... like mine here:
=)
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You can make it very small in file size too so it doesn't use much bandwidth... quality isn't a concern since the message is more important. Teaching people that it's wrong to leech bandwidth.
Regardless of whether you use an image swap or not, turning of leeching is a good idea.
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I pay about $20/month for 100GB of bandwidth and I've never topped over 60GB in a single month. It's a nice cushion to have... at a price. BUT I also use GoogleAds on my forum (one banner ad after the first post in a thread) and I earn about $40/month. No one likes advertising, but when it more-than-pays the bills it's nice.
They aren't so intrusive either... Take a look.
=)
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Google ads are also a good idea... I'' have to think about this.
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