That's messed up

[TheGreatSatan]

The pics from my TBCS review (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/?q=node/519) have been used in someone else's eBay auction

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260981214205&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

[xr4man]

messed up, but sort of funny too.

[TLHarrell]

Maybe they don't have a camera. Or maybe their pics just turned out really crap. Your pics are very nicely done.

I wouldn't take it personally, unless they're stealing your bandwidth to serve them, or they're running some sort of scam. In the case of hosted pics, switch them out temporarily with something with a fat watermark saying the pics are stolen.

[d_stilgar]

You can complain on ebay about it

[nevermind1534]

I'd report the listing to ebay. Sometimes, they actually do something about it.

[jdbnsn]

I don't think it really matters. The photos in reviews are for the most part for visual display and don't contain any intellectual property rights. Unless the photos are done for the sake of art/photography they are likely fair game. I'd take it as a compliment, it means the photos were useful and appreciated.

[d_stilgar]

I think that, in general, if a person takes a photo, that it is their IP. There doesn't have to be anything proprietary in what they are photographing or in the equipment used, technique, lighting, etc. It's their IP because they took the photo. It's that simple.

The same goes for something written. I am constructing this argument with words I did not create or invent, and in a language I did not create. And I am writing in no particular way that someone else couldn't, through their own logic, construct the same sentences. Still, because I have written these words they are now my IP and someone using them, or even the ideas contained in the sentences, should (in theory) give the credit to the original author (me).

The fact that TGS has photos that look nice, but also look like photos of an item in someones home, are the exact sort of value that the ebayer wants in his listing, as it builds trust in the buyer. However, they seller does not own the photos and they are not of the item listed. The fact that they aren't the seller's photos is enough that they should be taken down. He does not own the photos and TGS didn't give him permission to use them. I think it might be irritating if someone used the photos on some other site to show some detail that wasn't captured by the normal publicity photos, because the person should take their own photos or at least get permission, but in this case I think it is even more offending because TGS' photos are adding value to his listing. It is a commercial gain. If I saw this listing for the same price as one that used stock photos of the laptop and the two were at the same price, I would buy the one with TGS' photos in it because I would think that I am looking at the actual item I am going to receive, when in fact, I am not.

It is both theft and deception. Sure, both minor accounts, but that's what it is.

[TheGreatSatan]

I did message him and complain to eBay. Unfortunately, eBay couldn't do much because the auction ended just 5 hours later. The seller told me that his camera was broken so that's why he took mine. Plus, he claimed that they were on the internet and thus free game.

He right-clicked and saved them to his system and then uploaded them to ebay. He didn't hot-link them from TBCS. Maybe, next time we'll put TBCS logo's on them all.

I actually discovered them while searching for my laptop on ebay to get a feel for how they're selling. If I do decide to sell mine then it looks like I stole his photos and didn't just reuse mine.

Lucky for me, no one like me has this same laptop with 8GB or RAM and a 120GB SSD

[AmEv]

Now I know.

Watermarks.

[TLHarrell]

I wonder if TBCS can toss a slight watermark on all photos hosted at the site? Something automatically scripted. Anything you upload would get a TBCS logo and web address along the bottom at about 90% transparency. Photos you link from elsewhere would be skipped.

Just a thought.

[Aldersan]

Lucky for me, no one like me has this same laptop with 8GB or RAM and a 120GB SSD

I've got the same laptop with 8GB of ram, but I just swapped out my 120GB SSD xD

[SXRguyinMA]

As reviewers and journalists all of our content that we create (articles, reviews, etc) for TBCS with our own pictures get the TBCS logo somewhere on them. Look in any review or article I've written :)

[si-skyline]

Sure at the bottom of every webpage it says copyright thebestcase what sums it up really.

I personally would put it down to IP theft, would of said for the seller would of been better to say in the description "images sourced from.." instead of passing them off as pictures he took of his own laptop

[TheGreatSatan]

I've got the same laptop with 8GB of ram, but I just swapped out my 120GB SSD xD

I mean, no one is selling one like mine (or yours) on eBay

[xr4man]

if you look at the dude's feedback, he only has 12 comments. so this is just some dude trying to sell his laptop. it doesn't seem to me like he's trying to get over on any one or trying to steal the pictures. although, if you dig down technically that's what he did. i wouldn't get too upset about it.