I have been a very bad blogger in more ways than one.
I just recently enrolled in Shimelle Laine's Blogging for Scrapbookers class and I found out I was doing a big no-no...this no-no is actually somewhat counter to my thoughts on what is proper etiquette in the real world, but makes complete sense in the digital world. What I did a few times was use an image by using a link to the original image along with including a source link. I thought I was making certain that I was not taking any sort of credit for the image, but this meant I was stealing bandwidth. Big no-no. I apologize for my extremely inconsiderate behavior and will be taking out all such images.
Additionally, I apologize for also including images from others without their permission. I realize now I have allowed my (mistaken) belief in the internet being somewhat of a Wild West to cloud my ethics. I need to receive permission from the creator/artist before posting any image here or only post images of my own. Otherwise, I am being extremely rude and far worse poaching (stealing) others' hard work, creativity, talent, skill and energy.
This reminds me of receiving the guidelines to proper crediting of sources in college. Having read it I became profounding afraid of improperly crediting a source or somehow accidentially tredding on another's creative and/or intellectual property. Because of this (among other reasons), papers became an exercise in anxiety-ridden torture for me to write. I should have thought of that handbook whilst I blogged!
My apologies to one and all for being a very bad blogger and member of the creative community.
Another lesson learned.
