hi!!

dude...it's just a picture..I would understand if he was trying to take your company name away or even your username..but it's just an image..I'm a member of various disney sites..many different members have avatars of disney characters...they don't own those characters but they still use them..It's not like he was trying to patent it or say he created it..he stated he found it from a site..so he's not trying to take any credit for it..I would say just let it be..

durtis said:

No everything belongs to someone asshole you put something on the web and you expect it not to get around

for one your picture doesnt even have a copyright c on it
if it is even copyrighted theres nothing you can do about it
the image doesnt state that its copyrighted

please if anyone can see a copyright logo on here please tell me

Click to expand...

For your information ...every photo does not have to have "that little c on it"
I guess your being only 16 explains your actions.

But I'll tell you what, you continue to use it and we'll see where it goes from there. Then you find out if you can use MY logo for your personal use.

It would have to simple for you to just remove it , stop using it , and that's the end of it right ?

And keep stealing people pics ...see how many friends that makes you on any forum.

Durtis has been warned for profanity and name-calling. He is no longer using Jim's logo as his avatar, and maybe he has learned something about using other peoples' property. Seems like a closed case.

durtis said:

No everything belongs to someone asshole you put something on the web and you expect it not to get around

for one your picture doesnt even have a copyright c on it
if it is even copyrighted theres nothing you can do about it
the image doesnt state that its copyrighted

please if anyone can see a copyright logo on here please tell me

Click to expand...

For your information ...every photo does not have to have "that little c on it"
I guess your being only 16 explains your actions.

But I'll tell you what, you continue to use it and we'll see where it goes from there. Then you find out if you can use MY logo for your personal use.

It would have to simple for you to just remove it , stop using it , and that's the end of it right ?

And keep stealing people pics ...see how many friends that makes you on any forum.

Maize411 said:

dude...it's just a picture..I would understand if he was trying to take your company name away or even your username..but it's just an image..I'm a member of various disney sites..many different members have avatars of disney characters...they don't own those characters but they still use them..It's not like he was trying to patent it or say he created it..he stated he found it from a site..so he's not trying to take any credit for it..I would say just let it be..

Click to expand...

It's not "just a picture" Its the logo for my business, a logo that was custom made for my business, I have been using that same logo since 1999. It is on all my business cards, my show banner, my website, and every forum I might post on and probably a few other things and places.

This is not like stealing a photo from the internet and using it to sell your animals, or posting it on your own website for what ever reason you might have. That logo represents my business. I found out he was using by another member who recognized it as my logo. Others may take his posts as mine, by him using my logo.

He said he found it ?.....you say it like he found it laying around somewhere and just started using it. For him to use it he had to take certain steps to save it from where he found it, and use it here.

I let it go ...he decided to make another post tell me I have no right to fight this or complain about it. Not to mention name calling. And it certainly doesn't say much for those of you who think that what he did is excusable.

homegrownherps said:

As I asked you already ....where is it that you claimed to have found it, what site?
You told me you know where you didnt get it from, and you know when it is you saved it.....why is it you dont remember where you found it?

regardless of where you found it ...next time you surfing the internet saving pics and things, you might want to reconsider ...since I am sure they all belong to someone.

Click to expand...

It's easy to not remember where you find things. I've saved a number of things such as halloween costumes and swimsuits that I liked... when I go back to order them, I have no idea where I originally saw them... so I don't find it fishy at all that he doesn't remember where he downloaded it from.

The avatar has been changed and the kid is only 16... there's a heck of a lot to learn when you are 16.

I don't understand why people are sticking up for this kid. What happened to "Honor". If this kid was using your logo, a logo that represents your business, and makes money to support your family, you wouldn't be so eager to let him slide.

I've been on the internet since 1995 or 1996. I always considered something I see there to belong to someone, other than me, if I didn't take or design the picture or whatever it is. That's just common sense.

Most sites tell you not to steal their content. Mine does, and Home Grown Herps site says "Copyright 1999 - 2008 homegrownherps". This kid knows he didn't design that picture, therefore he has no right using it. If he likes a picture and wants to save it to his computer, I don't see a problem with that. Once he used it as HIS avatar, he basically stole property of a licensed business, and is passing himself off as Home Grown Herps.

The kid says he found it somewhere. So, by his way of thinking, if he saw any of you peoples cars, motorcycles, or bicycles sitting next to a convienent store you were in, then he has a perfect right to take it and use it? I think not.

If this kid doesn't have the mental capacity to know that image was not his, and that he shouldn't use it, then he shouldn't be online without adult supervision.

Randy Ciuros

Well...I guess every has their own opinion as to him stealing and using my business logo. It looks as though the ones who think this is no big deal , do not have a website of their own or a reptile business that feeds their family.

As always ...everyone has their own opinion.....that's we have attorneys:headbang:

attorneys? You make it sound like you'd sue him over a Forum where he used an image he found online.


its No Different than coke, disney, harley davidson...

its a Business logo, he didnt claim it as his own.

most forums about other things, like a rockband or whatever, have various people using the same avatars. if you read the name, not just see the image, you Know whos posting.

a simple "could you please change your avatar, its the logo of my business and i'd appreciate you not using it" could have taken care of this, but YOU were the one that blew this completely out of proportion. so for him to take a defensive stance after your ranting, is completely understandable in my opinion.

besides, you're no better than the kid. you're using a logo drawn FOR you. as in You didnt create it yourself? The Artist owns the image believe it or not, they Let you use it and copyright it. So i suggest Not acting like you're his age about it, and take a more adult approach in the future.

Because i bet its not just in my eyes, but after this, he seems the more mature person of the two, and hes only 16.

and for the record, i Design websites using flash, html, xhtml, and javascript. but you dont see me going "omg no dont use my web designs, i made it its mine." or freaking out over people using logos i design on forums for bands.

Someone LIKES your Company's design... its not a bad thing.

venomstreet said:

I don't understand why people are sticking up for this kid. What happened to "Honor". If this kid was using your logo, a logo that represents your business, and makes money to support your family, you wouldn't be so eager to let him slide.

I've been on the internet since 1995 or 1996. I always considered something I see there to belong to someone, other than me, if I didn't take or design the picture or whatever it is. That's just common sense.

Most sites tell you not to steal their content. Mine does, and Home Grown Herps site says "Copyright 1999 - 2008 homegrownherps". This kid knows he didn't design that picture, therefore he has no right using it. If he likes a picture and wants to save it to his computer, I don't see a problem with that. Once he used it as HIS avatar, he basically stole property of a licensed business, and is passing himself off as Home Grown Herps.

The kid says he found it somewhere. So, by his way of thinking, if he saw any of you peoples cars, motorcycles, or bicycles sitting next to a convienent store you were in, then he has a perfect right to take it and use it? I think not.

If this kid doesn't have the mental capacity to know that image was not his, and that he shouldn't use it, then he shouldn't be online without adult supervision.

Randy Ciuros

Click to expand...

You are also 47... he's 16. He's apologized, he's removed it... what else the heck is he suppose to do??

Diva said:

attorneys? You make it sound like you'd sue him over a Forum where he used an image he found online.


its No Different than coke, disney, harley davidson...

its a Business logo, he didnt claim it as his own.

most forums about other things, like a rockband or whatever, have various people using the same avatars. if you read the name, not just see the image, you Know whos posting.

a simple "could you please change your avatar, its the logo of my business and i'd appreciate you not using it" could have taken care of this, but YOU were the one that blew this completely out of proportion. so for him to take a defensive stance after your ranting, is completely understandable in my opinion.


Someone LIKES your Company's design... its not a bad thing.

Click to expand...

Forums of anything... snakes, dogs, horses... Go to the Lord of the Rings site and you'll see copyrighted material in the forums. The folks aren't trying to make a buck off of it... they saw a picture they liked and they wanted it to represent them, you're right Diva.... that's not a bad thing.

The kid I'm sure has learned a valuable lesson from this whole thing.

Diva said:

attorneys? You make it sound like you'd sue him over a Forum where he used an image he found online.


its No Different than coke, disney, harley davidson...

its a Business logo, he didnt claim it as his own.

most forums about other things, like a rockband or whatever, have various people using the same avatars. if you read the name, not just see the image, you Know whos posting.

a simple "could you please change your avatar, its the logo of my business and i'd appreciate you not using it" could have taken care of this, but YOU were the one that blew this completely out of proportion. so for him to take a defensive stance after your ranting, is completely understandable in my opinion.

besides, you're no better than the kid. you're using a logo drawn FOR you. as in You didnt create it yourself? The Artist owns the image believe it or not, they Let you use it and copyright it. So i suggest Not acting like you're his age about it, and take a more adult approach in the future.

Because i bet its not just in my eyes, but after this, he seems the more mature person of the two, and hes only 16.

and for the record, i Design websites using flash, html, xhtml, and javascript. but you dont see me going "omg no dont use my web designs, i made it its mine." or freaking out over people using logos i design on forums for bands.

Someone LIKES your Company's design... its not a bad thing.

Click to expand...

Really... he was being mature about it except for the post where he started the name calling ( that's real mature ).
I bet you have no problem with people stealing and using photos of other breeders animals to represent their own either.

And great ..I'm glad some one likes my logo ....tell me where it gives him or anyone else the right to use as they please????

For the record I dont really care if you allow people to steal/use your work to do with as they please....I do. My logo was not designed to use on forums ...as you put it , it was designed to represent my business, not for some 16 year old who has no respect for other peoples property.

I am no better than him?...I designed that logo and paid an artist to draw it for use in my business. Maybe you should know what it is you are talking about, I do own that image and have all the rights to it. So for him to take a defense stance regardless of how I reacted is wrong .....he did not have permission to my image.

I did send him an email asking him to remove and he did...but again, wasnt it him who came back after all was said and done to post again. So for him to take a defense stance regardless of how I reacted is wrong .....he did not have permission to my image.

Would a letter from an attorney be more of an adult approach ?
I think I went about it in a very civil manner, and honestly you people find it more important to fight for him then he does.

Weebonilass said:

Forums of anything... snakes, dogs, horses... Go to the Lord of the Rings site and you'll see copyrighted material in the forums. The folks aren't trying to make a buck off of it... they saw a picture they liked and they wanted it to represent them, you're right Diva.... that's not a bad thing.

The kid I'm sure has learned a valuable lesson from this whole thing.

Click to expand...

I am sure he has as well, it seems like a few others here have a problem with me wanting protect what belongs to me. If other people don't mind their images being used, so be it ...I am not one of them.

i think im done with this i might go find somewhere else where people wont take offense a 16 year old kid finding an image he likes online and using it as a damn avatar on a forum

for the recored... i didnt get a please change your avatar its my company logo

i got

What i would like to know is why are you using my company logo as your avatar


thank you to everyone who is standing up for me

durtis said:

i think im done with this i might go find somewhere else where people wont take offense a 16 year old kid finding an image he likes online and using it as a damn avatar on a forum

for the recored... i didnt get a please change your avatar its my company logo

i got

What i would like to know is why are you using my company logo as your avatar


thank you to everyone who is standing up for me

Click to expand...

I guess this was just not meant to have an ending.
For the record ..I didnt get any thing from you asking to use my property.
Why should I ask you "please ", or any one else for that matter ..when you are using something that belongs to someone else WITH OUT PERMISSION.

And really now ...... the way I asked .... how do you figure it was rude ?

I think no matter where you go ....stealing and/or using other peoples property w/o their consent ....is still wrong.

As Durtis has apologised and changed the offending avatar, what more could he do?

diamondlil said:

As Durtis has apologised and changed the offending avatar, what more could he do?

Click to expand...

Theres really nothing left for him to do, but drop it. But as long as he, or anyone else feels the need to accuse me of doing wrong by protecting whats mine, I will continue to answer these posts.

diamondlil said:

As Durtis has apologised and changed the offending avatar, what more could he do?

Click to expand...

I think he should cut his left pinkie finger off at the first knuckle.....Wrap it in the Stars and Stripes and post it to the offended.......Nothing less will suffice....

alright I say both shoud parties should just let it go..durtis apologized and changed his avatar..so it should be settled..let's just try and move on and enjoy the rest of our time..and durtis I do hope you will stay..there are a lot of good people here who have a lot of things to teach about snakes..Just because you had a bad first encounter don't let that ruin your thoughts about this forum..It really is a nice place..and homegrownherps..please just let's not talk anymore about it..The subject is fixed now..as you said people will have their own opinions and that is just the way it should be left..We understand you didn't like the fact that he took the image..but it's fixed now..so let's just continue on with our lives..

homegrownherps said:

Theres really nothing left for him to do, but drop it. But as long as he, or anyone else feels the need to accuse me of doing wrong by protecting whats mine, I will continue to answer these posts.

Click to expand...

It's not that you're in the wrong by protecting what's yours. It's just that your approach could use some work. Basically, what I'm (and I think others here) am saying is that you could have handled it in a more diplomatic manner. A simple 'could you please stop using my business logo as your avatar' in a PM would have sufficed, but instead you took an extremely aggressive and public approach, hunted down (from what I saw) every post he made and replied to it with said aggressive post, and then were surprised when he (eventually) got defensive.

Copyright infringement isn't ok. However, this is the internet. If he saw an image he liked, no one had claimed it was theirs/copyrighted/whatever, and he honestly didn't know who it belonged to, there was no notice not to use...how was he supposed to know? Just for the record theft isn't the same as copyright infringement.

Long story short, you can't blame him for how you handled the situation, and imo your approach largely contributed to the problem. You are in control of your actions and your approach to situations. He apologized and immediately changed his avatar. You continued your highly aggressive approach, and he (predictably) got defensive. That's human nature, especially at his age.

To be honest, this entire fiasco is somewhat appalling to me, as a new member of the forum. I really hope it isn't typical.