Zyra info //// Zyra's front page //// Photo Gallery //// Copyright //// The Problem with Getty Images //// Site IndexPhoto Image pack neglected because of copyright problems

Neglected Photos because of Copyright


This is a sad picture for sure. It shows a software pack containing thousands of photographs which was bought at a computer fair for £2, or some similarly "almost free" price. Yet, upon closer inspection it turned out that the photos could not be used because of copyright problems. So, the software was left neglected in a corner, for years and years, to gather dust and cobwebs.

I hasten to add, I have nothing against the makers of this software pack. They probably had no idea when they made this software pack that their legal agreement made the product unusable for most purposes. I had a friendly chat with them, and that did seem to be the situation. Also, they were unable to change the agreement to something more reasonable, as they'd got it subcontracted from some other company. So, all rather sad really.

However, here's what this photo tells us:

1. Photos are generally available on an almost free basis. They are not an expensive product. You can get packs of photos for almost nothing.

2. Litigious agreements get in the way, and can leave an otherwise good product in effect worthless, unusable, etc. That's sad.

3. I am very fussy about contracts, and if I don't agree to something, then I don't sign. If someone's got a stupid set of copyright conditions, it means their product isn't used at all here! This is what makes the problem with Getty Images even more stupid than at first sight!