Warbird Information Exchange

As most of you know (or should know) I have been posting vintage photos for quite a while now for the enjoyment of ALL of you guys and gals here on WIX who simply like to see them, study them, research them, comment on them and/or save them to your own collections. Many are my own photos and many belong to various archives and collections NOT my own, but that I do my best to give credit to when and where possible. I have NEVER stated I owned a single photo that didn't belong to me and I have NEVER asked for money or tried to sell a single photo that either I owned or do not own. I need NO MONEY from any photo I post. I simply post them for OUR enjoyment here on WIX.

As many folks know I take great pleasure in helping anyone here on WIX that may ask for my assistance in research. It's a hobby I like to do, but when I see many, many of my posted photos end up on Ebay at $10.00 to $100.00 each, that's a sign I better stop posting photos right now. Not only are my own photos listed on Ebay but also most of the photos from the archives I frequent such as the San Diego Air and Space Museum archives, NMNA archives etc.

Maybe I'm nieve or simple minded about the big bad internet world, but I find this practice to be shady and wrong. I suppose people can do what they want on Ebay (of which I never visit as this was brought to my attention today) and can simply copy a photo online somewhere and slap a watermark on it and call it their own to sell. But I'm just me and I have no time or ambition to try to track these people down or contact Ebay to protest. I probably have no ground to stand on anyway. I just can't find it in me to go to the trouble in trying to win a losing battle. I pick and choose my fights carefully now-a-days and this one seems a waste of time.

So all the above crap said, I have some thinking to do about posting anymore photos. But I will indeed continue to help any of you folks who may ask for my help. I know most of you now and feel we certainly have developed trust along the way, so I have no problems there.

Please continue to send your PM's my way as I'm honored to help out in anyway I can.

And as for those who visit this site to collect photos to sell on Ebay, maybe you should think about donating a small bit of the money you collect from those photos to this site where you got most of your stuff from. The management I'm sure wouldn't mind a few bucks.

FWIW This is NOT a rant, just a disappointment.

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Zero Surprise!!...

I am sorry to hear that, and I can feel your disappointment. I truly enjoyed your posted photos. I would never use any others photos without proper credit when known, I even prefer to link the source. I believe it simply to be a theft to download pics belonging to others, and sell them on ebay. I fully understand your move. Thank you for all the photos you posted for us to see and enjoy, thanks for your input.

Michael

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mark. I grew up during WWII and served in the Marine Corps during the Korean war. I have really enjoyed savoring your photos and look forward to next posting. I am very sorry we live in a society that this happens. I can understand as I am an aviation photographer (non Pro) and I find my photos being used around the internet without my permission. Your photos have given me much enjoyment and I would hate to see them stop, but I understand.

an avid fan
bill word
Tucson, AZ

Mark,
It's just a shame that the world is so full of scammers, thieves, and outright dirtbags.
Perhaps it's time to start using a watermark at least on your stuff, let SDASM pursue the folks using their stuff or mark it 'from SDASM collection' and things with no attribution get a 'source unknown ' or 'in the public domain' water mark.
Why is it that when someone tries to do his compatriots a favor, along comes some scamming thief who just wants to take a sloppy dump in your hat and then tries to pull it down over your ears?

Whatever your decison, I'm behind you 100%, but I think you already knew that-
BILL

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Thanks so much guys. It saddens me that I even had to post about this here today. And it's your thoughtful posts that really bring a sense of disappointment to me that I would ever have to think about ending the photo threads. I love the fact that there are people here on WIX who enjoy these photo threads. That's why I post them. No more, no less. Like I said I will have to think about continuing.

And again FWIW, I am certainly NOT pointing a finger at anyone here. (or looking for Sympathy) Just wanted to state that if you no longer see any more photo threads from me you'll know why.

I haven't a clue who is trying to sell the photos I have posted. I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to figure it out but again I have no interest. Just so you all know it's been my pleasure to contribute in my own small way to this site. It's really a good place to come and enjoy our passion for old airplanes. There's some really good folks here who deserve to see some old airplane photos.

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Zero Surprise!!...

Mark:

Good day!

Thank you so much for posting all those F4U Historical pics. I understand your fustration with this matter. Plz see if the comments below may help.

p.s You may contact the PR folks of E-bay concerning the selling of ilicit B/W photographs that you have researched yourself. If you can prove the point of origen E-bay will pull them out of the bid. My 2 cents.

Plz keep a few F4Us in the oven for us & the F4U world!! After all, we'are only going to be here once!!

Mark, There are always a few bad ones for all the good people out there. Don't let things like this stop you from your hobby and from keeping the history alive! Karma will get him eventually.

Thanks for all the pics and info you have helped me with over the years, and hopefully any future stuff.

Chuck Wahl

ps. Now who is this EBay person ?!

Shame that a few bad apples ruin it for the rest of us. In regards to those from SDA&SM photos, they may or may not came from your postings, as they are available all over the net. Anyhow, thanks for all you great postings, and I do hope you will continue.

Mark,
unfortunately, this is a thing that is happening all over the internet. I'm sure I speak for everyone if I say that I hope you keep posting images on WIX. The best thing you can do to make this stop is put a watermark in the middle of the picture. Yes, it might distract a bit, but people get to see the image. I think that's a price we are happy to pay to see your posts.

WIXmod Charlie

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I'm Batman

Or place a watermark on a small section of the airplane so it wont distract people, but also stops people from trying to edit it out

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My racing will fund my warbirding. Hopefully...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ChristopherDeshongRacing
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisDRacing

I used to post photos with watermarks, but then got nasty PMs about it and stopped posting photos altogether. It was a lot of work, but not worth it in the end (to me). I undertand how you feel. Sometimes you try to be helpful but just can't win.

Well maybe I really don't have a pot to p*ss in according to his disclaimer. But I'll tell you this, there are several images that solely belong to me that this guy/group have listed for sale that I have never been contacted for permission to sell. Looks as soon as I post a photo on WIX it shows up on this Ebay account. Oh well that's life I guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USMC-F4U-Corsai ... 3f25b7ee90

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Zero Surprise!!...

Mark, disclaimer or not, if it is from a private collection (even a museum's) and you know for a fact he doesn't have permission to use them, contact eBay directly -

http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/vero-rights-owner.html

As you are an authorized user of the SDAM collection, you can report any of their photos he sells as if you are a copyright holder yourself as you have permission to use their copyright. Alternately, just point those guys to this page.

Flat out, he's selling property he has no rights to. He can say the rights of the photograph remain with the photographer or owner of the image, but if he's not compensating you for sale of a copy of your property, then he's not honoring your rights. eBay recently has started clamping down on this, and I would encourage you to help them continue to do so.

Mark I agree with CapFlyer
Please take action. It may seem trivial but only you can make the difference if he is illegally selling your photos.

WIXMOD-Delta

I'm humbled by the support and advice and I sincerely thank you all very much. Action with EBay has now been taken so we'll see what happens. I would agree the watermark idea would be too much work on my side as I tend to post many photos.

I can only take action for photos that solely belong to me though, really not much I personally can do for photos from other archives I've posted, other than report it to the archive owners for them to choose whether they wish to take action. I'm fairly certain this EBay account has not received permission to sell SDASM and NMNA photos. But I could be wrong, you never know. Doubtful though.

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Zero Surprise!!...