Is it illegal to...

its a screenshot. with screenshots you are just showing the world what your desktop looks like. The only restrictions that I know of are obsenity and nudity. Also it is in good taste to say where you got the items that make up your screenshot and who made them.

One other important note, make sure your wallpaper is covered to some extent, so as not to distribute it unknowingly

Well....run that by in English for me and I might be able to help...

A screenshot is a screenshot....it's not an artwork subject to copyright in itself, provided such elements as the Wallpaper is suitably obstructed to prevent it's redistribution as a wall.

Screenshots are effectively 'fair use'. If you DL one, modify it and re-upload it then it'd simply be 'polite' to refer to the source of the original Screenshot.

Other than that it's fine...

Gotcha Jafo

So say your screens covered with a rainlender and a winamp skin would that be considered covered to an extend?

I have posted screenshots on different forums, but noticed I better check if its legal seeing there is a big problem with editing peoples stuff without premission and uploading it.

Sorry for double post, what if the whole theme is desktopx (completely covered desktop) and nothing is covering it. Would that be alright?

Sorry for trpple post, damn I need to buy something to get the edit feature.

Is it alright if let's say the theme is the yellow alien mini suite and on the side is the winamp/ rainlender and the icons that came with the package are covering a side of the wallpaper, yet most of it is showing would that be alright?

How much trouble can you get in for not covering it to a well enough extent?

I'm scared, My screenshots have already been uploaded for a while and yeah.

Omg fourth post, I need to think before i post.

What if the winamp is also covering a perety much top of your screen so nothing really (thin skin) and your rainlender is a shadow.. Is that aceptable?

Sorry just don't like getting into trouble.

heh try to relax, it ain't that difficult.

I'm not sure exactly what your editing question is about, but if you mean doing something like recoloring an icon set, I believe this is ok for your personal use, ONLY.

As far as covering it up, just try to have 3 or so windows or programs open to cover parts of the wall. I usually open the start menu, have my Winamp open, and maybe part of a browser window...like the shot in my profile.

Broswe the existing screenshots You'll get the idea of what is okay

Sign on front cover....'DON'T PANIC'

All you need to do is look at the actual wallpaper you wish to display...and see if its 'focus' [subject image] is partly covered by another window or program, etc....that will prevent anyone from doing a simple cut and paste to recreate the wall from the screenshot, thus resulting in unauthorized redistribution of the wall.

I'll post an example...

This image was extracted in no time at all from an uploaded [and rejected] screenshot.....an example of what 'can' be taken from a screenshot....

I re-used the image as a wall, but placed various icons and 'windows' over it to hinder its use as a wall from this screenshot.....a somewhat more difficult task, unlikely to be attempted, ergo unlikely to be a copyright issue re image distribution....

Also, even if you modified someone else's work for your own use and display it in a screenshot, please feel free to let people know whose work you used. For example, mention that you're using Pixstudio's Yellow Alien theme and modified bits if that's what you did. Now if you did modify someone else's work you aren't supposed to distribute it without their permission but it sounds like you already know that.

One of my pet peeves with some screenshots is that people post some really great stuff but then don't mention whose wall or windowblind it is or what the name of it is, that sort of thing. Then you'll see a bunch of people asking, who's the author of that great wall, what's its name, what icons are those etc. Screenshots can be a real showplace for people's work as well as the uploader's creativity in putting the desktop together or modifying things to their own liking.

As suggested, just browse the screenshots section and see how others do it and what strikes you as the best way to approach it. (Come to think of it right now I'm using the Yellow Alien WindowBlind. Love the alien start button. )

cool i see jafo is another mech warrior

HG_E....yes, since Mech 2....the Demo on 4 floppies....

hehe cool i have the mw2 titanium edition, on cd. u play on zone or in game servers ? and whats your unit ?