Posted by Mike Field on December 06, 2006 at 22:55:38 from 203.129.59.201 user mikefield.
In Reply to: Re: Posting photographs Technique and Copyright posted by Jon on December 06, 2006 at 15:32:39:
You're quite right of course Jon in saying that a website isn't "public domain" property. I was slack in my description. The owner publishes the material in order for it to be viewed by the public though, and I'd have no qualms in linking to an image on a website without quoting the author's or website's name (or in defending my action in so doing at court if necessary) if I thought it appropriate. Depending on the circumstances I might quote the site's or owner's name as well, but of course the point is that ownership becomes obvious anyway once one follows the link.
Knowledge of the author's name (or publication's title) is not the case when someone anonymously quotes a passage from a book, newspaper article, or whatever, though. That is why such a quote should always be attributed. Unless attribution is made, the one quoting the publication is guilty of plagiarism (which has been the cause of more than one student's being expelled from his university.)