Comments | wranglers: Hotlinking? So not cool.

dorkdance in wranglers

Hotlinking? So not cool.

Feb 05, 2006 22:08

Congratulations, msasl, you're a hotlinker.

This entry explains exactly what hotlinking is, and why it's not, as previously mentioned, cool. Read it. That goes for everyone, especially if you're unsure about what constitutes hotlinking and what doesn't ( Read more... )

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vertigo66 February 6 2006, 06:30:30 UTC

Is it really necessary to publically embarrass someone? Couldn't we just have the entry warning against hotlinking and have a private message sent to the offender?

dorkdance February 6 2006, 06:40:34 UTC

Unfortunately, I've modded enough communities and run enough websites to know that if you don't call the hotlinkers out publicly, they might keep doing it. Whether it's by replacing an icon with a gigantic 'You're a hotlinker, ask me how!' image, or by posting their username publicly, it's a good warning for other community members that this person might -- accidentally or not -- steal their bandwidth.

just_a_duck February 6 2006, 07:26:42 UTC

I agree with vertigo. Even a public statement can be made in a tasteful/tactful way.

dorkdance February 6 2006, 07:30:17 UTC

Yes, because asking a hotlinker to pretty please don't do it again has the same effect as telling them that they're banned the next time. /sarcasm

I find that being harsh, while it's jarring for some people, is more effective than being nice about bandwidth theft. Have someone steal your bandwidth -- inadvertently or not -- and then tell me about tact. There is no tact involved in hotlinking files, so I provide hotlinkers with the same courtesy that they have shown their victims, whether the hotlinking was inadvertent or not.

just_a_duck February 6 2006, 07:39:47 UTC

I still don't agree with you, but it's your comm so ok.

dorkdance February 6 2006, 07:43:29 UTC

Honestly, it sucks to be the mean mod, but if there isn't a mean mod then people will break rules willy-nilly all over the place. You have to crack down hard, or there'll be community members who will say, "Oh, it's okay to do [insert thing here]! Awesome!"

nastasie February 6 2006, 09:01:57 UTC

How old are you?
You seriously need a job where you can realize your need to exert power. Then you might be able to do it in a non-ludicrous way.
WTF.

dorkdance February 6 2006, 09:06:05 UTC

Again I ask, have you ever had bandwidth stolen? This is a serious issue, and being nicety-nice about it doesn't help. Hotlinking leads to sites going down halfway through the month because their webhosts noticed that their bandwidth went over. This pisses webmasters off, especially when they're being kind enough to host files for people to download in specific locations.

To summarize:

Hotlinking = bad, even if it is accidental.
Me = webmaster who's experienced it.

Check out any number of communities that have media downloads, then tell me I'm being harsh for banning people after their second offense of hotlinking.

nastasie February 6 2006, 09:36:28 UTC

I heard you before. You don't need to explain it again.

And that's my point: don't you think warning people about it and telling them that 2nd time offenders will be banned is enough? I believe we're all old enough to understand that, and those who aren't will be banned anyway, so...

But, hey, if you still think this warrants publicly chastising people who have no idea they're doing something wrong, then, hey, knock yourself out...

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