This is in reply to Andy's comment on Watermarking. I find it very interesting that you have "singled" out Prestigious Dames to prove your point. You say you would never use an image "illegally", but you did when you removed the image you used from the Prestigious Dames site, "to prove your point".
We, the tutorial writers also know that a watermark on an image, showing the results of a tutorial, detracts from the "beauty" of that image. However, that image is there simply as an illustration to show what the results will resemble when the tutorial is finished. It is not there for people to "take".
The vast majority of tutorial writers use watermarking for their images. We realize that once anything is placed on the WWW, that some people consider it "fair game" and take what ever they want as if they are at the mall shopping.
If you have never had your hard work and creativity stolen and displayed on anothers site and claimed as their own, then you have no idea how hurt, disillusioned, and royally po'ed it will make you. I have "first hand knowledge" of several Groups on the net that make a game out of "shopping for graphics to steal". They even make little tags to send thru their emails stating the fact that they are proud they stole it.
I apologize if I have offended anyone with this email but I felt a real need to reply to this, since the URL was sent to me concerning this.
Thank you for allowing me to comment on this topic.
Sincerely,
Kitten
Co-Founder/Owner
Prestigious Dames
www.prestigiousdames.com

Protect_R_Tuts
http://www.geocities.com/tutorial_theives/