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We would be very grateful if you could take the time and read this entry, as a few things have changed here at
magic_art and we would like our members to be aware of them. Thank you! :)

Sad, but true: last week-end we had the first hotlinking incident in the history of
magic_art! Because of that, we had the unpleasant task of switching to a new hosting account, re-installing our layout and replacing broken links. These troubles left aside, we cannot stress enough how bad hotlinking is. It's stealing, and while we cannot possibly know who is responsible for it, we intend to take measures to prevent such a thing from happening again.
After a lot of thinking and long discussions, we have decided to make the community Members Only. That means that you will have to join in order to see the posts. This way we hope to achieve a more cohesive membership, as well as a more personal relationship to all of you. :)
Another change is that membership will be moderated, meaning that all new members will be asked to wait until either me or
nerhegeb approve their request to join. Basically, we want to check if members to be give proper credit for their icons. Don't worry, it won't take ages until you're approved:
nerhegeb and I are both online on a daily basis, and we check our e-mails frequently (perhaps more often than it's healthy, heh!), so if you do credit your icons, you'll become a member in no time at all. However, please be aware of the fact that we're on CET (Central European Time), so you'll have to be a bit patient if you request membership at a time when it's the middle of the night here. *g* ;)
Speaking of credit, we would like to emphasize again its importance to us. Every single time we post graphics, we ask that you please credit
magic_art. This is not optional, it's a rule. If you don't feel inclined to abide by it, it's alright and no hard feelings, but then please refrain from using our icons. There are plenty of communities and icon makers out there who don't require credit, so you might want to check them out. ;)
We, however, require credit, because we put a lot of time, effort and passion into our graphics. We research the themes that we are doing, try to find original, thought-provoking pictures to illustrate our ideas, and then spend hours on end working on them until they're made into icons and ready to be shared with you all. We do not ever post anything we are not happy with, or that we ourselves wouldn't use. We strive for quality, not quantity, and try to bring you icons you wouldn't find elsewhere. We do all of this gladly, because we truly enjoy making graphics and sharing them with you. All that we ask in return is that you credit our work. It's easy, only takes a few moments, and we are always here, ready to help you in case you don't know how to do it. There is a great difference between someone who doesn't know how to credit and asks for instructions, and somebody who isn't willing to credit in the first place, and simply chooses to ignore our wishes.
That being said, we also intend to go through our members list and see if everybody is giving proper credit in case they're using our icons. This is nothing personal, and we are not, Gods forbid, controlling your journals or anything of the sort! We really have better things to do with our time, believe us. ;) We just wish to make sure that all members are aware of this crediting rule, and abide by it. If we find out that you haven't given credit, we shall contact you and ask you to do so. Refusal, or a lack of reply from your part, will result in your removal from the community.
As already mentioned, this was not a decision we have made lightly. From the very beginning,
magic_art had been an open community, and we had intended to keep it that way. We are also aware of the fact that the vast majority of our members are wonderful people who have always respected our wish to be credited, and we are grateful for that and their continued support. :) As it's often the case though, it only takes one person, or a small group of people to ruin it for all the others. *sigh*
To end on a happier note, watch out for the Kitties of the Season ~ The Samhain Edition coming up later today! ;)
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)

Sad, but true: last week-end we had the first hotlinking incident in the history of
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
After a lot of thinking and long discussions, we have decided to make the community Members Only. That means that you will have to join in order to see the posts. This way we hope to achieve a more cohesive membership, as well as a more personal relationship to all of you. :)
Another change is that membership will be moderated, meaning that all new members will be asked to wait until either me or
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Speaking of credit, we would like to emphasize again its importance to us. Every single time we post graphics, we ask that you please credit
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
We, however, require credit, because we put a lot of time, effort and passion into our graphics. We research the themes that we are doing, try to find original, thought-provoking pictures to illustrate our ideas, and then spend hours on end working on them until they're made into icons and ready to be shared with you all. We do not ever post anything we are not happy with, or that we ourselves wouldn't use. We strive for quality, not quantity, and try to bring you icons you wouldn't find elsewhere. We do all of this gladly, because we truly enjoy making graphics and sharing them with you. All that we ask in return is that you credit our work. It's easy, only takes a few moments, and we are always here, ready to help you in case you don't know how to do it. There is a great difference between someone who doesn't know how to credit and asks for instructions, and somebody who isn't willing to credit in the first place, and simply chooses to ignore our wishes.
That being said, we also intend to go through our members list and see if everybody is giving proper credit in case they're using our icons. This is nothing personal, and we are not, Gods forbid, controlling your journals or anything of the sort! We really have better things to do with our time, believe us. ;) We just wish to make sure that all members are aware of this crediting rule, and abide by it. If we find out that you haven't given credit, we shall contact you and ask you to do so. Refusal, or a lack of reply from your part, will result in your removal from the community.
As already mentioned, this was not a decision we have made lightly. From the very beginning,
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
To end on a happier note, watch out for the Kitties of the Season ~ The Samhain Edition coming up later today! ;)
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 09:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 09:55 am (UTC)Cool, really looking forward to the icons. Can never have enough kitties and samhain. :)
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Date: 2008-10-23 11:19 am (UTC)And yes, the kitties are coming... cats and Samhain seem to belong together, hehe! ;)
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Date: 2008-10-23 10:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 11:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 12:00 pm (UTC)Thanks for everything you guys do!
And kitties! YAY!
Edit with a question: I am a member here under my personal journal. I am creating a community to use as the base of my planning and tinkering for my NaNoWriMo project. Is it possible to use icons I've saved under my personal journal over at the community as long as proper credit is still given?
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 12:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 03:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 12:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 03:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 01:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 03:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 03:43 pm (UTC)And you wrote a wonderful post about your reasons to. It is fine. And nothing strange at all. I fully understand and support you. *nods*
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Date: 2008-10-24 08:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2008-10-23 04:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 04:07 pm (UTC)*huggles* to you both.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 06:43 pm (UTC)If someone isn't capable of fallowing simple rules than there is no reason to feel bad.
Like you've sad, you both put a lot of time and work to to this community.
You deserve credit.
And you've got my full support ^_^
*hugs* both of you ^_^
no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 07:18 pm (UTC)No need to feel guilty for wanting to keep your hard work your own.
Looking forward to the new kitties.
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Date: 2008-10-24 08:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 07:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 08:25 pm (UTC)I enjoy your icons. :) I hope to be able to continue to do so.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 08:41 pm (UTC)I often take old (1800's) b&w photos and apply colour to them for a website I used to run. I remember finding my work on other websites (with my copyright for the colouring job still on the pic!) that hotlinked back to my website. Arg, to say the least.
I, too, save icons that I like in my LJ folder in My Documents, automatically putting the maker's LJ name as a part of the detailed name. You (and others) have made that really easy with adding your comm's name in the icon name to begin with. I really appreciate that!
I do have some icons where I don't know where they came from.. but I'm honest about that in my comments, too!
You are doing what's right, good for you both. I'm sorry it had to come about this way, but now you'll know who is truly interested and playing by the rules.
Namaste'
Willo
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Date: 2008-10-24 08:24 am (UTC)And thank you so much for supporting us, we really appreciate it! *hugs* :)
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 10:29 pm (UTC)Keep up the good work!
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Date: 2008-10-24 08:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 11:47 pm (UTC)Blessings
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Date: 2008-10-24 08:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 07:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:42 am (UTC)I make quite a lot of icons myself and know how much hard work goes into them.
I have seven icons that I can't trace and I've said so instead of crediting - if any of them turn out to be yours or if you know who made them I'll be really glad to know.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 08:58 am (UTC)About the other journals: you don't have to join with them too, and can freely use the icons in all three. ;) We're happy as long as proper credit is given. :D
(no subject)
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Date: 2008-10-25 02:21 am (UTC)Thank you for letting me join the comm! :)
Be sure and check out my profile page, as I link to two public posts by
no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 08:29 pm (UTC)And welcome, we're glad to have you here! :D *hugs*
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Date: 2008-10-25 02:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 08:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-31 02:37 am (UTC)I deeply hope all my icons are properly credited, I lost some info at some point. Please tell me if you see any of yours uncredited-it would be purely unintentional.
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Date: 2008-10-31 12:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-02 04:01 am (UTC)And thank you for taking the time to explain why we are becoming members only instead of just doing it and everyone becoming confused :)
You guys are so awesome and keep up the good work!
no subject
Date: 2008-11-03 10:57 am (UTC)