IMPORTANT! Wallpapers used in screenshots MUST be 'sufficiently' obscured....

This took about 10 minutes to 'extract' and clean up to re-use as a 1024x768 bitmap of reasonable quality......would have been faster except I forgot there was a cursor to be removed....

Because it is quite simple to 'get' the wall from an unobscured screenshot, and IF the wall is not your own photo/art then it is arguable that even 'fair use' does not cover the image's inadvertent re-distribution by way of a desktop screenshot.

Don't be fooled by arguments about image 'quality'.....this 'altered' screenshot is third generation jpeg.....the extracted 'wall' is quite acceptable resolution/quality.

Any screenshots where it is deemed a simple matter to extract the wall image will be rejected, unless it is stipulated with the upload that it is the artist's own work.

Crediting an author will not absolve you or free you from this issue as the original artist has no direct control over your screenshot upload, ergo it violates his inherent copyright....

11,590 views 37 replies
Reply #1 Top
Seems like your always having to tell them this Jafo. You think by now many would learn!!
Reply #2 Top
Love that skin Jafo! What's the name?
Reply #3 Top
They keep submitting, we keep deleting... sigh...
Reply #4 Top
Also screenshots with wallpapers with femals showing too much 'attributical beauty' is rejected too.
Sure, this is a skin site, but not for that kind of 'skin'

[Message Edited]
Reply #5 Top
Well, I'm guilty. In my newly found knowledge on how to create a screenshot, I quickly submitted 3 that are not obscured. I'm sure they will be rejected but just wanted to say "sorry". I have been navigating around this site and saw the "messageboard for the first time yesterday.

again, sorry.
Reply #6 Top
'attributical beauty'


Hmm...I'll have to use that sometime.
Reply #7 Top
>
Reply #8 Top
someone want to tell me why i can post my desktop wallpaper on this site for people to download (veiwable on profile) and yet so many ppl have matrix wallpapers up and soime of those images are copyrighted, and yet i created mine from scratch. im not whining, im just really really confused
Reply #9 Top

Dj Slayer...if the wall is entirely your own art....[not borrowed in part or in whole] then you are free to upload it in an unobscured screenshot....provided you indicate you are its owner.

If the wall is NOT yours you do not have rights to its distribution in such a way thhat it can be extracted easily and reused as a wall.

This would be a breach of copyright.

My example above took TEN minutes to 'clean up' and extract a perfectly good image that was not the property of the uploader.

This is an example of what is NOT acceptable.....

Reply #10 Top

OK....4 new screenshots submitted....ALL rejected.

This isn't rocket science.

Screenshots are for displaying skin setups, etc......not for distributing wallpapers inadvertently.

It gets a bit tiring posting rejection emails....particularly when some people are obsessed with the need to post dozens at a time.

Reply #11 Top
Some people can't get a clue. I've noticed that one of the people above does the same thing at AnS (ArtnSkins).And even poor mouthing
us here at WC. Here's a hint for ya, you cannot use any symbol, banner, icon, logo, image, likeness,of another persons work. This includes the TV show "Charmerd", "Resident Evil", or ANY copywrited material. If you didn't create every aspect of your upload yourself, then it is not yours. I agree there shouldn't Matrix or any other Motion Pictue work on this site without written permission
from the Studio. If you want to use copywrited material, go for it. Just make it yourself and do not distribute it.Unless you can afford the possible law suites that may follow. Do NOT ask or Expect Wincustomize to put itself at risk!!
Reply #12 Top
CLAP CLAP well said, Skinalott and Jafo, Some People never learn. And by the way DJ I've had some of my work
not put here. As Jafo said with his kind words. It needed more work. Some times if you leason you can get wise words from the great Skinners. You however aren't listening. No one is trying to be mean to you but their are rules and everyone has to follow them.
Reply #13 Top
So we cant show what our desktop looks like? We cant show how we have combined thigns on WC and made them into our screenshot. What if we get permission from the author?
Reply #14 Top

Sigh... You can upload your desktop, all we ask is for the wall to be sufficiently obscured to prevent it's re-use...

Why is this causing confusion???

Reply #15 Top
Yes you can! Good grief....


To take a proper screenshot suitable for posting on wincustomize, the desktop wallpaper must be obscured to the point where it cannot be recovered using image editing by other people. This prevents the distribution of wallpapers that the artists may or may not want broadcast around the internet. To properly obscure a wallpaper, just put a couple of windows in the way in order to obstruct the main image of the wallpaper. Remember, the screenshot is to show off your whole setup, not just the wallpaper.

Is this rocket science?! No....lets abide by this without too much fuss.


Arg....I knew I was typing too long.
[Message Edited]
Reply #16 Top
Makes alot of sense it does not seem that hard to understand why dont people get it. I bet they would get it if it was there work being ripped off. >
Reply #17 Top
I am computer illiterate and I understand (after I was told). I think it's kind of a neat challenge to cover the wall with windows, icons, music media players ... that all match the wall and obstruct it at the same time. Isn't that the idea?
Reply #18 Top

The idea of a screenshot section on a skinning site [any skinning site] is to display layouts and combinations of skins, and/or to indicate bugs or anomalies for the authors to address.....etc.

TWO things that screenshots are specifically NOT for....

1. Displaying another's wallpaper only.

2. To act as some form of status/fame/notoriety/DL-count/Rating magnet.

Think of them as a tool at best, and a 'of-passing-interest-this-is-what-I'm-using-now' at worst....

Reply #19 Top
nuff said.
Reply #20 Top
Jafo, I think we should see if we could post these requirements somewhere on the page for submitting screenshots. I think that alot of the issues come from n00bs submitting stuff without having any idea of what is expected of them, since its not stated on the page.
[Message Edited]
Reply #21 Top
Maybe you will be able to help me. How do I convert a wall paper image to 16 colors? using Photoshop or any software you might recommend
Reply #22 Top
Yeah I understand that we were supposed to have stuff running but I had interpreted it as asking us to use asolid color background or something I understand it now.
Reply #23 Top

From the 2 screenshots of different resolutions [shown inset] I managed to 'extract' the wall....about 10  minutes.

Now, this isn't exactly an issue with the two screenshots uploaded...but does show the potential for images to be easily 'removed' when that may just violate the artist's copyright....

Reply #25 Top
Nice pair of ....err...screenshots you got there