From: rdm@cfcl.com (Rich Morin)
Newsgroups: alt.cd-rom,rec.photo
Subject: Redistributable Digital Images
Keywords: image digital provenance copyright photo CD-ROM
Date: 11 Oct 92 05:56:16 GMT
Reply-To: rdm@cfcl.com (Rich Morin)
Organization: Canta Forda Computer Lab, Pacifica, CA


Most of the digitized images that are currently available on bulletin boards,
Internet archives, and distributions have no clear provenance.  This is not
much of a practical problem for the techies, as few artists (e.g., painters,
photographers, computer artists, etc.) or publishers have the resources to
chase after the pirate digitizers and distributors.  It is an ethical and
legal problem, however, and has kept us (Prime Time Freeware) from putting
such images on its semi-annual CD-ROMs.

Note 1:	I am not interested in starting a flame war here.  Feel free to keep
Note 1:	on digitizing Ansel Adams, Motor Trend, and Playboy.  I won't hassle
Note 1:	you.  I just want a way to find interesting images that I can put on
Note 1:	my discs without incurring either legal liabilities or bad karma.

Note 2:	My particular interest is in getting a few representative images
Note 2:	from each of a number of good photographers.  Kind of a collection
Note 2:	of "digital mini-portfolios", rather than a pile of random snapshots.
Note 2:	BTW, I'm not interested in PhotoCD.  If the image format isn't open,
Note 2:	I have no interest in spending effort or CD-ROM bandwith on it.

In any case, the problem is not insoluble.  If an artist gives permission,
there is no reason why an otherwise suitable image cannot be digitized and
sent out for distribution.  In fact, by working with the artist, it is quite
probable that a superior digitization might be achieved.  But why would an
artist be willing to co-operate in the uncontrollable dissemenation of his
or her work?  Well, one good reason is publicity.  If each image carries the
name and address information for the artist, viewers might be interested in
getting framed prints, etc.  Certainly, it couldn't hurt an artist's fame to
have high quality images sitting on the world's computer displays.

Now we turn to the problem of getting those high-quality digitizations done.
Few artists or photographers are experts in color digitization.  Fewer still
have access to expensive slide scanners, etc.  Can we find someone who would
be interested in scanning in the images for free?  Perhaps.  If the image's
documentation file also contains a credit for the firm that digitized it, a
bit of free publicity would accrue to that firm.

As I see it, there are no insoluble (or even hard) problems here.  We need:

   1)	artists who are willing to have their digitized work distributed

   2)	facilities for doing high-quality digitization

   3)	a standard way of including credits and permissions with image
	files, so that one can tell whether they are redistributable.

   4)	a mongo FTP archive (or five) to hold all this stuff.

Have these problems already been solved?  Is there a nifty FTP archive with
just the sort of images I want?  If not, is anyone interested in helping to
set something like this up?  Let me know; maybe we can get some high-quality
work up on computer screens and publicize good artists at the same time...

Yours, Rich

P.S.  I read alt.cd-rom regularly, but do not read rec.photo all that much.
Best to use email if you really want to reach me...

Rich Morin, Canta Forda Computer Laboratory | Prime Time Freeware - quality
  UNIX consulting, training, and writing    | freeware at affordable prices
  P.O. Box 1488, Pacifica, CA, 94044, USA   |          ptf@cfcl.com
rdm@cfcl.com    +1 415-873-7841 (Voice/Fax) | +1 408-738-4832 (V), -2050 (F)
--
Rich Morin, Canta Forda Computer Laboratory | Prime Time Freeware - quality
  UNIX consulting, training, and writing    | freeware at affordable prices
  P.O. Box 1488, Pacifica, CA, 94044, USA   |          ptf@cfcl.com
rdm@cfcl.com    +1 415-873-7841 (Voice/Fax) | +1 408-738-4832 (V), -2050 (F)
Newsgroups: alt.cd-rom