Why Copy Graphics to Your Own Server

Many people join webrings.

Many of the webrings hosted by Ringlink, RingSurf, Bravenet and other webring systems (particularly those that do not use a JavaScript navbar system) ask members to copy webring graphics to their own server.

I wrote this page because some people do not understand why.

This page explains why that is important.

And, this page outlines the general process to do this.

Understanding Web Pages

Many people who make web pages do not really understand how they work. They just know that they use an editor like AOL Easy Designer or Yahoo! Pagebuilder and they point and click and web pages happen.

These tools make it easy to build simple pages. But they also hide some of the underlying working of the web.

While an amateur web builder building a personal page does not need to be an expert at HTML, it is important to have a little understanding.

HTML and the Web

A web page is just a file. It is a file that contains text that is written in a language called HTML.

When you enter the URL, you are giving the name of that page to your browser.

The browser, like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator asks the web system to send that page. After it receives that page, then the browser interprets the HTML and builds the image you see in a browser window.

Because the image you see in a browser window is the browsers interpretation of the HTML, different browsers will sometimes interpret the HTML differently and will display the page slightly differently.

Graphics "On" a Web Page

One of the points of confusion is that some new, amateur webmasters think that a graphic is someone "on" a web page.

The page editors help continue this impression because they make it easy to "cut" or "copy" a graphic and just "paste" it "onto" a web page.

That is how it looks.

But that is not how it really is.

Graphics are not "on" a web page. Instead, there is HTML that tells the browser where to go to get the graphic. The graphic lives in its own file, separate from the web page. The web page just "points" to the graphic.

Referencing a Graphic

The HTML will say something like:

<img src="http://www.llpof.com/flag.jpg">

This code is for an image ("img") and it tells the browser the source ("src") for that image.

If you want to see the address for any graphic in your browser, right click on that graphic and select "Properties". It will show you the graphic.

Referencing a Graphic on Another Site?

There is no real difference between referencing a graphic on your and referencing a graphic on another site.

There is no requirement that the URL you use to reference a graphic be your URL. That is why when you copy webring code without changing it, you may reference a graphic on another site.

Bandwidth Theft

Yes. It can be.

It takes "bandwidth" to deliver a graphic from a site to a browser. If you are using someone else's server to get your graphic without their permission, that is called "bandwidth theft".

This is true even if you have permission to use the graphic.

Permission to use the graphic and permission to point to the graphic on their server are two different things.

In fact, bandwidth theft was so severe a problem in the early days of the net, that a webring emerged to deal specifically with this problem: Web Guard.

Bandwidth Use

Note that not every site requires that you copy the graphic to your own server.

Some people have enough available bandwidth that it doesn't matter. Or the person may not think that your use will be a problem.

One of the reason that webrings frequently do, is because if every member referenced the graphic on the ringmaster's site, it could use a lot of bandwidth. That is why many webrings request that you place the graphic onto your own server.

Copying to Your Own Server

In general there are three steps:

1. Copy the graphic from the ringmaster's site to your PC
    
2. Use your web editing software to upload the graphic from your PC to your own web server
    
3. Change the HTML for the webring (or other HTML) to point to your own graphic on your own server.

Copying a Graphic to Your PC

1. Create a directory to hold the graphic. I like to use a directory named "temp" that I put on my "desktop". But the directory can be anywhere on your PC as long as you know where it is.
    
   You don't have to create a directory. You could use an existing directory or your desktop. But creating a special directory will help you keep these graphics separate from other files on your site.
    
2. Go to a web page that has the graphic.
    
3. Right click on the webring graphic.
    
4. Click "Save Picture As". 
    
5. Navigate to the directory you created to hold the graphic (see Step #1).
    
6. Choose a name for the graphic.
    
7. Click "Save".

You have now copied the graphic to your PC and placed it in the directory.

Uploading a Graphic

Each website editing tool will have its own way of uploading a file from your PC to the server.

In all cases you will need to know

1. Where you put the file on your PC
    
2. Where you are putting it on your own server.

(You will need the name on your server when you modify the HTML to point to the graphic.)

Altering HTML to Point to the Graphic

1. I recommend that you always use a separate editor to edit the HTML. For example, you could use Notepad to edit the HTML. Do not attempt to edit the HTML inside of Pagebuilder.
    
2. Look in the HTML for code that says:
   
   <img src="http://blah-blah-blah"
    
3. Change the information between the quotes to be the URL of your graphic. Unless you are very familiar with HTML, you should use the complete address of your graphic.
    
   The specific address will depend on your server and how it is organized.
    

Webring News and Announcements

WebRing.com Changes Big Time ---  It was October 2001 that WebRing.com came into existence following the end of Yahoo! Webring. Now, 5 years later, WebRing.com is changing again. Moving from primarily a free service to primarily a paid service, the system is undergoing massive change. Stay tuned.

Ringlink Activity  ---  While Ringlink has not released a new version since Version 3.2 on 21.Feb.2005, the system seems to be getting a lot of activity. Many people are discovering this great webring system and moving their webrings here. If you don't know about Ringlink, definitely check out this great webring system. I personally recommend it.

WoW  ---  The World of Webrings features the World of Webrings discussion list. It offers a forum for both webring owners (ringmasters) and webring members to discuss the latest hot topics about all webrings, including WebRing.com, Ringlink , Alt-Webring, RingSurf, Bravenet and others. If you belong to any webring in any webring service, you should join this list.

RingSurf Passes 3 Year Anniversary  ---  It was 3 years ago, on 16.Aug.2003 when the WoW list list noted that RingSurf's domain name registration had changed. Then the new owner came forward. A RingSurf Feature List was developed and debated. Then, on Thanksgiving day, 27.Nov.2003 the new owner posted on the WoW list that the new RingSurf is up! If you haven't checked it out lately, see what has happened in the last three years.

Article About Webrings  ---  Check out this excellent Salon.com article about the history of Yahoo! and WebRing.com: The Strange Saga of Yahoo and Webring . For some, it will bring back memories. For others, it will explain the history. Now, I wonder if they will update it to talk about the latest WebRing.com changes.

Webrings: General Information

Webrings: General Information		Why Copy Graphics
Webring FAQ                             19.Jan		Webring Welcome Pages
Articles Across the Net		How I Join Webrings
Webring Systems		Master Design of My Pages
Page Editors		Standard Controls
Is Webring a Trademark?		Webring Host Explanations
Want to link to my section on webrings? Want to suggest a link for me to add? Please read my Requests and Suggestions for Linking

Webring Sections and Subsections

The Webring Section is a large section of my website. I have divided it into four major "subsections".

• General Information
• The WebRing.com System
• Webrings I Own and Belong To
• The Wazillion Navbars Project

Each "subsection" has it's own special "logo".

As you travel in the various subsections you will find, near the bottom of each page, links to pages within that subsection and also links to the other subsections. To go to any subsection, just click on the "logo" or on the text link for that subsection.

The WebRing.com System

This subsection includes specific information about the WebRing.com system.

While not the only webring system on the net, it is the best known and the most used. I own many webrings in this system and belong to many webrings in this system. (I also own and belong to many webrings in other systems as well.) Click here or on the graphic.

The Wazillion Navbars Project

This subsection is a historical section about the Yahoo! WebRing system. It was begun during the early days of problems with the Yahoo! WebRing system in September 2000.

It ended when the Yahoo! WebRing system spun off into the independent WebRing.com system in October 2001. I maintain it for the historical record. Click here or on the graphic.

Webrings I Own and Belong To

This subsection shows all the webrings I own and links to all the webrings to which I belong. This includes webrings in Ringlink, RingSurf, Bravenet and the WebRing.com system as well.

If you are looking to join one of my webrings, this is a good place to start. If you wonder about the webrings I belong to, this is the place to go. Click here or on the graphic.

Last updated:
18:15, Thu, 27.Mar.2008