Internet is a jungle with own rules. Sometimes this is depository of a huge amount of information. 80% of the users use it to find relevant information for them. Some others use it also to exchange information. We all searched for something, we found the info, we used it, moved on. Only later comes the habit to apreciate the source of information we found/received. And very late, sometimes too late or never, comes the good habit to organize this information, to put some order in this search quest.
I am new in this world of the crafters. I tat only since 2 years. I learned alone, with my nose glued on the screen, I swalowed my frustration in front of the monitor and continued to search for help. Yes. I used Internet for this. I have been in all the places, learned from all what I could. And I am thankful for what I found and for the help I got. I grew up, learning from a lot of good tatters.
Now I can help a bit the others sometimes. I share what I know always when this is necessary. And SHARING is actually the keyword.
I am educated never to touch something which does not belong to me. This is called robery in my country. I learned that it is true that my freedom stops when the freedom of the other ones is menaced by my acts. As a philologist I learned that, when you use the ideas of someone else, you MUST quote, otherwise your entire work is called plagiarism. Another word for robery. The intelectual level. Cruelly punished. There is no glory coming by imitating.
Now comes the "sharing" principle. I can share or offer something what I possess, something which is mine. I cannot just come into your house, pick up something I like and then offer it to my best friend, only because I want to be nice and to keep this good friend. Is it a good friend this one asking me to steal for him/her? an other issue here. Only because we interract through bits ans bytes does not make us less real.
Ask anyone and they would say the same: Me, steal? Never.
Why this answer comes so quickly for a physical object and not for an idea, it beats me. Maybe only because the first one is associated with police and trials? The fear of getting punished is bigger?
Please, when you "share" a pattern please reflect: is it really sharing? Does it belong to you?
When you "share" a document, a scanned book, take a second or two and think: does it harm someones rights?
When you "share" your knowledge and copy a pattern from a picture and then "share" the picture with the instructions to work it, step back: is this sharing?
Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, you name them, are full of images. Mostly are there illegal: not the author placed them there. Please, do not keep this bad habit alive. Some of the designers/photographers try to make a living from their skills. "Sharing" their work kills their chances to succeed.
Don't hide behind "I did not know", "I am new", "I just found it"... it is lame. Ignorance is never an excuse. When the picture has a watermark, a name on it, a blog, just follow, take your time and follow the source and contact the author. So simple.
When you notice that a picture is scanned (one can see this easily), that it is part of a book (yes, the page numbers are always a good sign), do not re-pin or re-share it. You become accomplice.
I did the same, I have a Pinterest account too. I stopped using it. I would not just delete the collections I have there and I must take my time to remove all the pages I know they should not be there. But I do not have the time yet. I just use the "Ideas to tat" collection.
Again sharing. I share in this blog what I know. I share patterns and I always answer any question. It might be that I want I keep some of my ideas for my own use, they will become patterns to sell. My right.
