Last addition to the sidebar before I move onto the gallery. A quick little “mini-sig” is now directly about the blogroll links. I could probably make it even smaller, and I might try to later, but I think this works for now. It’s even linked to my BFS profile. Check it out.
Kept on digging around the net and found that the maker of FAlbum had a forum that I didn’t see the first time. There’s about 400 threads devoted to my exact problem. Apparently I have to enable global use of the plugin and put it IN a page instead of having it generate the page itself (which is what it’s doing atm). If you make it an object on the page you can format it until the cows come home and it won’t effect the rest of your layout. If you let it generate the layout itself, it’s all over the place. Apparently I’m not alone in my problems. There’s even a thread for getting it to work with 99% of the common WP themes. How nifty.
Just a quick update. Fixed the Digg RSS feed plugin, I messed up some of the php functions and it was mangled. I started over and reformatted that section with less crazy options and it seems to be working better. Also, I ditched the Flickr Badge infavor of FlickrRSS, which is basically the same exact thing only without the ugly Flickr logo and more styling options. Now they have boarders 🙂
Lastly, I’m having trouble setting up FAlbum just the way I want. It’s supposed to look like this:
But instead it looks like this:
I’m not sure quite what the formatting is, the install instructions are vague. I’m also not sure why it’s throwing the “sidebar” below everything and not off to the side like normal. I’ve got my Crew buddy KC taking a look at it and if anyone else has suggestions, please let me know.
Later.
As you may notice, there are a few new additions to the sidebar this evening. Gone is the “recent links” RSS feed. It’s been replaced by the last 10 Diggs from my Digg.com RSS feed. I very rarely updated that feed and it wasn’t very WP 2.0 friendly. I also browse Digg.com on a hourly basis and I’m always digging something. This keeps things a bit more current. Also, I added a Flickr badge that “should” update when a new picture is added. It’s set for the last 5 images. I also added the Flickr Postbar and Flickr RSS plugins to WordPress so I can publish a post and add flickr images instantly. Poof, instant picture. I like that. I’m also going to do something with the “projects” page finally. I figure I’ll just add three things, my Flickr gallery via FAlbum, a link to my Deviant Art collection and a link to my BF2 profile with self updating stat-data.
I’m also trying to get a mini-sig image done that uses the system from tehsig.com. I already have a sig there, but it’s completely customizable and I thought I might make a tiny one (say 150px square) and just have my name and global score on it, then slide it in the sidebar between the search box and the blog roll. I’ll letcha know if it works.
That is of course sarcasm.
I feel it nessisary to mention what happened today before I doze off.
Today I got an email from Chip when I got into work. He mentioned that he came across one of my photos in a thread at 4Chan. Sure enought, there it was, my pour shot.
Now, some history needs to be mentioned before we continue. First, three years ago, I published that photo on a website at that time was called GfxOasis. It was a small site, about 150 members, and unlike DeviantArt at the time, it was more of a hangout/group critique site. I got a lot of positive feedback about it and eventually shared it on DeviantArt. If you know anything about DA its that copyrights have almost never been respected there. The reason I haven’t posted work there since and probably won’t forever. Anyway, about a month after being up on DA, sure enough, someone ripped it and made it into a wallpaper using an “eefect” he claimed to have created. (Actually, I duplicated his “effect” in Photoshop in about 10 minutes). He was claiming it as his own and didn’t even mention me. I got the DA admins involved and I get an email from the guy that made the wallpaper. He asks if he can release it and apologizes for the mix up. I give the guy the benefit of doubt and say yes on 3 conditons:
1. He has to keep my website and logo on it.
2. He has to credit me in the description.
3. He won’t make any other versions or post it anywhere else.
After that he subsequently put out 4 versions without telling me, took my website off it and I’ve personally seen it on at least 5 of the most popular desktop websites and a handfully of smaller one. Each time without credit.
Today was more of the same. It was up in the wallpaper section, without credits, copyrights or anything.
Now, I want to be clear about this. I don’t have a problem with the wall existing. Its actually not a bad wallpaper. But in its current state, the way its being distributed, is unacceptable and I will not allow it.
A shot like that is incredibly hard to do. People make livings doing just pour shots. Take a look at a menu at a place like Chiles or Applebees if you think I’m kidding.
Anyways, I managed to get a hold of a 4Chan moderator on IRC and have the thread taken down, after expressing my displeasure to dead ears of course. One piece of internet trash actually said “its the internet, fuck you, stop being such a bitch”. Apparently this persons never created anything in their lives. Having something stolem feels like shit. Something that you worked hard on taken, YOUR identity stripped out of it, and then its whored for all to take.
So, there you have it.
After all this time, and after all the energy and anger it take for me to deal with something like this I’ve come to a descision. If you can’t beat’em, join’em. Sometime soon, on the “projects” page, I’m going to put up several of my own versions of that wallpaper. My own versions, with a copyright line, my website url, the whole nine.
In the end, its a wallpaper. I’m not going to get bent out of shape anymore. I don’t have the energy. If anyone ever sees any of my photos anywhere, especially with a copyright taken off, please let me know. I won’t get made, I won’t start throwing around Cease & Desist letters, I’ll just ask them to replace the version they have with one WITH my info. People can use it all over the place, just so long as credit is given where credit is due.
Ok, I’m tired, I’ve stayed up too late already. Later guys.
Oh, and a HUGE thanks to Chip for the headsup today. I appreciate it bud. 🙂
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