# Sad to see



## robin416

This was a great forum when I first joined. I've watched it slowly sliding away. Now the forum is under attack by a spammer. I'm certain I'm not the only one to flag the spam but the industrious spammer is still hard at work.

There are three other members here who abandoned a forum due to those that can monitor the forum not monitoring it. This is deja vue all over again.


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## WhitecatFarm

Very sad. who is supposed to be monitoring this stuff?


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## robin416

There is the board owner, the forum admin and several moderators. I haven't seen a post by a mod in months. 

I suspected they had lost interest a couple of months ago, even sent a message asking about getting this place back on track. I got a we're looking at it response and then nothing.


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## powderhogg01

I too have noticed a decline in the forum, which is why My posts are fewer and further apart. I am still quite active on BYC.. though there is so many members... its tough staying up on everything over there... that was why I liked this forum more, it provided me with the "one on one" help I prefer rather then a thousand answers an hour, all in different directions. I dare say, possibly its time for the forum admin to hand over the keys so to speak...


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## Jabberwocky

I ave noticed that there has been no new articles. That the forum seems to be not as active. Was wondering about it. As I like this website and forum. The recent spammer attack made me wonder. Are the admin(s) even bothering. 

I agree with powderhogg01. Possibly, it is time for a changing of the guard.


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## ChickenAdmin

Well, I just happened to find this hidden in this forum, and not in the Announcements and Support forum, which is monitored more than here.

http://www.chickenforum.com/f39/

Now, it is getting slower. I did get the spammers yesterday. We are not going to let it become a spam haven.

Let me check on the current listed mods, and see if I can find out what happened. If they are gone, I may ask if anyone else would be up to being a mod.

Please send me a Private message or post in the Announcement forum, if you need me, or do a report a post anywhere on the site.
I'll set it so I get a message and can be back soon.


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## robin416

I didn't put it there because, truthfully, nothing happens. This is more to get input from other members about their feelings on what is going on. 

Who all gets a notice that a post has been flagged? Do the mods? Our little friend was present for much too long yesterday and needed someone on top of the issue. If you're the only one left to police the junk showing up then new mods are needed.


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## ChickenAdmin

I am checking on the mod status, and am asking about that standing for longer than a day.

So, it is very good that I saw this thread. I have now made it where I get the notifications so I can check more quickly, just in case the mods and site admin might not be able to get to delete that fast enough.

And, we do need new articles. Let me talk to the editors and see if I can find us some new interesting posts and articles. 

I appreciate your input.

Angie


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## CrazyWVChick

I'm truly surprised that this site has gone so far away from what it was this time last year. I'm glad to see all of you who've spoken out here are still around. Each one of you commented on questions and/or helped me out when I first joined the site. I've been gone for 6-8 months because of health issues but I'm back. Lol. If you remember me at all it was under the moniker of Minminme. I can't find anything on here...articles, conversations, nor pretty much any discussions.


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## robin416

CrazyWVChick said:


> I'm truly surprised that this site has gone so far away from what it was this time last year. I'm glad to see all of you who've spoken out here are still around. Each one of you commented on questions and/or helped me out when I first joined the site. I've been gone for 6-8 months because of health issues but I'm back. Lol. If you remember me at all it was under the moniker of Minminme. I can't find anything on here...articles, conversations, nor pretty much any discussions.


Tag, you're it. A couple of us will get multiple page conversations going. But, as you've seen, its just a couple.

Welcome home, hope the health issues have been addressed and that your flock is doing well.


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## Jabberwocky

CrazyWVChick said:


> I'm truly surprised that this site has gone so far away from what it was this time last year. I'm glad to see all of you who've spoken out here are still around. Each one of you commented on questions and/or helped me out when I first joined the site. I've been gone for 6-8 months because of health issues but I'm back. Lol. If you remember me at all it was under the moniker of Minminme. I can't find anything on here...articles, conversations, nor pretty much any discussions.


Welcome back. To echo Robin. We are attempting to keep this site from becoming a ghost town. At the same time we are here in between RL and work. Answering and chiming in as we can.


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## Jim

Hi everyone. I have slipped away too, mostly because life got busy. Funny that today I check back in and see this as the first post that grabbed my attn. I too need to get more involved again. Especially now that kidding season is over. See yall around.


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## robin416

Your absence was noticed, Jim. In my weaker moments I've thought about contacting you about a few birds. Let's not go there, OK? The right decision was the one I made four years ago to get out. Still . . .


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## ricepaddydaddy

I visit, but don't post much.
My wife is the chicken wrangler, I'm the builder/fixer and lugger of heavy feed bags. What I know about chickens is very limited.
We also have horses and dogs, again I'm Bob The Builder, not the Horse Whisperer.

But you guys can't bail out here, y'all are needed for people like me to learn.


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## robin416

LOL If I had someone like you around I might still be in the breeding business. Sadly hubs works away from home so it was all on me.


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## zamora

This was the first chicken forum I found when I went searching. It's sad to hear that this one too has been in a decline. I really need a place to belong and make sure that I'm doing the right thing by my flock.

As some of you already know, I'm a herpetologist and am a global moderator on a snake specific forum. We have also been fighting the ever present facebook which is crashing a lot of the old timey forums. The mods at that forum are fighting to keep it alive and kicking and I hope that you succeed here as well. 

This place seems like a little family and I would love to see it thrive.


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## robin416

I hate Facebook but not for what it is doing to forums. Their issues with constantly changing things and obliterating privacy settings with those changes was the last straw and I bailed. That was before this real name thing. I protect my identity and location because I am here alone in the sticks. I really don't want to shoot a trespasser so I'm not going to let some site raise that possibility. 

The first time something serious happens to someone because of FB there will be a bail out from that site.


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## 8hensalaying

As a "newbie" I would like to say that I hope this forum stays. While there isn't the huge number of overall posts, or news articles that others may have, I have had more responses to my questions here. That has been an invaluable tool to me in my "adventure" of getting ready to start my flock. So to me it is more valuable to have a resource where I know I will get honest answers and opinions, than to have a "busy" active forum where my posts and questions get lost in the shuffle and overlooked  Just my 2 cents...


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## robin416

8hensalaying said:


> As a "newbie" I would like to say that I hope this forum stays. While there isn't the huge number of overall posts, or news articles that others may have, I have had more responses to my questions here. That has been an invaluable tool to me in my "adventure" of getting ready to start my flock. So to me it is more valuable to have a resource where I know I will get honest answers and opinions, than to have a "busy" active forum where my posts and questions get lost in the shuffle and overlooked  Just my 2 cents...


Your two cents has more value than you think. I rarely participated on that other forum due to so much misinformation being handed out and the traffic. When they changed to the new updated (said with sarcasm) site with all of the extra stuff I signed off.

I found another forum similar to this one but when the site owner abandoned it it just died. I looked recently and all that is to be found is spam.

I see a lot of reading going on but not a lot of participation. I would like to see that change. Do all those readers not have something to contribute? We need other insights here. I had my setup for the birds, it worked for me but it wouldn't work for everyone. We need to hear from those people.

We need a newsletter to be blasted out to all of the old gang to remind them that the forum is still here.


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## 8hensalaying

I log on several times a day, but don't post much because I am so inexperienced. I am sure once I get my hens I will post more actively. Can you give an example of what misinformation you have seen? There is so much conflicting info out there it is hard for a newcomer to sort all that out to get to the truth. I have been researching for many months and still feel clueless a lot of the time. I hope that this forum will pick up and become a source for those of us who want to start things out right, and a way to connect with those who are a lot more experienced than we are.


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## robin416

The list is so long. I think the one that ended it for me was when I saw one of the mods recommending to put VetRX in a bird's eyes. First there was no clinical signs that the bird was suffering from what they were told. Second, putting VetRX in the eye is like putting Vicks in it. Add in that it is not made to meet the atmosphere of the eye and it is nothing more than torture. It gets me fired up again years after I saw that. Part of the blame goes on VetRX since it says it's OK and people fall for it instead of investigating to make certain they should be doing it in the first place.

Then jumping to everything antibiotic without the clinical signs being there necessitating their use. A bird can't walk? Mareks. 

We need to investigate what we're told. I can screw up and have, I want to know when I do it. We need to be able to separate the old wive's tales, the hype from manufacturers and the truth. The only way that can happen is to investigate if we have questions.

Like this morning, NM posted about an ingredient in his no preservative feed. Turns out NM is correct, it is an inorganic ingredient that is derived from an organic one. But I didn't know that until I went looking. What I don't do is believe sites that have an ax to grind or one any that have a particular interest in saying all is good. I look for studies done by reputable groups.


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## 8hensalaying

I agree, I always question information especially if I feel there is a hidden "agenda" My Hubby's eyes glaze over when I talk chickens, and tells me I am obsessed (in a light hearted joking way) I tell him say what you will, but I will make sure I am very well informed when the hens get here. I don't just jump in willy nilly. I realize that like anything, some things you don't learn til they happen, but I want to know as much as i can beforehand! That is why participation is so important, one person's experience may or may not be the same as your own, but in the variety of information you can get a consensus. (exception being the aforementioned "hidden agenda" lol).


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## robin416

Instant gratification so often is the one that does the most damage. I get it on the wanting to know right friggin' now what is wrong with my bird or birds. I've been there and have had to rein myself in to make sure I'm going in the right direction. 

You can usually tell the person who is more interested in the instant answer, they will not answer questions, will not offer information when asked. Those are the ones I ignore after a time because there really is no sense on wasting time on trying to be informed enough to offer any suggestions. And I can be blunt. Boy, can I be blunt. When I see someone doing more harm when they have no clue all my filters go in off mode. 

You are doing the right thing by learning now. It could save you a lot of work and heartache in the long run. I read and read some more, asked those that have been doing this chicken thing for a long time. I do have a medical background so it easier for me to recognize when something doesn't add up and know to go looking for myself. There are studies out there, some are easy to understand, others? Whew, they're rough and take more investigation to interpret what their conclusions are.


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## Fiere

Can we address the million and one times tetracycline was mentioned as a treatment for cocci? *headdesk headdesk headdesk*


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## robin416

Or the times cocci was tossed out there when it wasn't even close?


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## Fiere

Yes, like in older birds.


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## robin416

Fiere said:


> Yes, like in older birds.


LOL I know. And so often those cocci suggestions came from people that should know better.


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## rosco47

come on guys I just joined...
this is like sitting down to watch a Chuck Norris shootem up movie and the power goes out 10 minutes in


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## Fiere

Or shall we even start the debate on treating respiratory issues with antibiotics and NOT testing the bird because "it's just a cold"? Can I even point out how flawed that whole line of thinking is???

I am an admin on a FB chicken group and holy mother the things you witness LOL


Rosco, all you gotta know is that birds don't get colds, antibiotics won't cure viruses or protozoa, and some respiratory infections can stay with your bird and reinfect other birds (sometimes fatally) even though yours aren't symptomatic and therefore if someone is snotting and foaming at they eyes it's best to test it!


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## robin416

Sorry, Rosco. Normally I'm more reserved and not all giddy like. The blame goes squarely on Fiere. 

If you have a question about what we're giggling over even though it's not really funny, don't be afraid to ask. We don't bite. Kind of hard with a computer monitor in the way.

Fiere is correct about the respiratory issues. Although birds can get pneumonia or sinus infections and they are not the chronic kind out there. A lot of people toss inappropriate antibiotics at them just making things worse or prolonging the problem. One of the sure signs that it's not a simple pneumonia or sinus infection is if more than one bird is affected.

Cocci, just in case you don't know it is a single cell organism that attacks the GI tract that can kill young chicks quickly. It can be prevented or treated easily enough. Larger fowl are less apt to have an issue because their immune systems are much more developed to allow them to fight off and overload. Too many see blood in a dropping from an adult and immediately go to the cocci when the problem is probably worms in GI tract. 

But hey, I learned there is a whole contingent that still believes you get rid of crop worm using turpentine. No joke.


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## robin416

Fiere said:


> *headdesk headdesk headdesk*


Huh? Siri is that you?


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## Fiere

Nope, that was alllll me hahaha

Though I take no blame for you getting riled up


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## Fiere

One of my clients was telling me about how her great aunt had this flock of chickens when she was a little girl, and they got lousy. So in all the great wisdom of chicken keeping from yesteryear, they put stove cleaner on the hens to cure the lice.
Well needless to say, cure the lice it did, because when they went out in the morning to feed every bird had nothing left on their bodies but a few burnt quills.

Turpentine cures mange, too. Strips the paint right off them *snicker*


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## robin416

I am so cotton pickin' glad I wasn't drinking anything or I would have ruined my computer. I knew this wasn't going to be good but the results are beyond hilarious. 

Wait, wait a minute! Mange is painted? That one is alive and well in that place we moved from two years ago. They seemed to like turpentine for a lot of things.


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## seminole wind

I just had to drag this thread up and dust it off. Pretty interesting stuff. I remember witnessing those who labeled every lameness problem "Marek's" and there was a St. John's wort CURE for Mareks!!!! I actually asked them to take off the " cure for Marek's part." It's not fair to say things like that.

ANd those I know who are knowledgeable about Marek's know just about every look-alike illness out there. Someone actually told a friend of mine that if her chickens are vaccinated for Marek's with the "turkey virus vaccine" they will continue to spread Turkey virus! 

PLenty to yak about in this thread!


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## Alaskan

Reminds me of a story... Guy had athletes foot.. His mom-in-law told him to soak his feet in gasoline and then light them

Well, he did. 

And yep, no skin does = no athletes foot.

He also finally figured out that the woman didn't like him.


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## jn4

I remember seeing lots of crap like that....I've been here as long as Robin. When the crap got going I didn't post...I would come a read a few topic threads ,..but stayed under the radar.......after a while i didn't even log in but maybe 1 time a month. Eventually (due to medical issues) I went months at a time and didn't even visit. It was sad to see it happen here..hopefully thats changing now.


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## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> I just had to drag this thread up and dust it off. Pretty interesting stuff. I remember witnessing those who labeled every lameness problem "Marek's" and there was a St. John's wort CURE for Mareks!!!! I actually asked them to take off the " cure for Marek's part." It's not fair to say things like that.
> 
> ANd those I know who are knowledgeable about Marek's know just about every look-alike illness out there. Someone actually told a friend of mine that if her chickens are vaccinated for Marek's with the "turkey virus vaccine" they will continue to spread Turkey virus!
> 
> PLenty to yak about in this thread!


I'll admit that I used to think all lameness problems were Marek's, and in my flock, many of them are, but in the past two years I have seen lameness, ataxia and inability to stand or walk that was cause by:

Various injuries
Internal bleeding
Tumors
Coccidiosis
Bacterial infections of the intestines
Repro issues in peafowl
Vitamin deficiencies in ducks and chickens

That St. John's Wort thread drives me nuts, lol.


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## casportpony

I just started this thread:
http://www.chickenforum.com/f12/how-would-you-treat-one-9810/#post107780

Might be kind of fun to see how the different people would treat her. I know I learned a lot with that one, and perhaps I could learn more?


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## seminole wind

casportpony said:


> I'll admit that I used to think all lameness problems were Marek's, and in my flock, many of them are, but in the past two years I have seen lameness, ataxia and inability to stand or walk that was cause by:
> 
> Various injuries
> Internal bleeding
> Tumors
> Coccidiosis
> Bacterial infections of the intestines
> Repro issues in peafowl
> Vitamin deficiencies in ducks and chickens
> 
> That St. John's Wort thread drives me nuts, lol.


I used to think that more than I do now, but always held back on saying it because there was frequently a lack of info, and anyone should check out various illnesses aside from Mareks. I think the important thing to me was just posting about my chickens and how it was discovered.

I have to say it's refreshing to be on a forum where the combined IQ is much higher.

which also means that those in need of help are provided with better information here.


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## dawg53

Every time a chicken limps, it's assumed it's marek's or some other awful disease. Saw that alot in the other forum. Most of the time it's a sprain, or pulled ligament or tendon when a bird made a hard landing from high perch or other high object.


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## seminole wind

The other thing is that if you dx something , then that person may stop looking into other possibilities. 

I also never realized until last year how coccidiosis is not just something chicks or youngsters get.


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## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> The other thing is that if you dx something , then that person may stop looking into other possibilities.
> 
> I also never realized until last year how coccidiosis is not just something chicks or youngsters get.


I also used to think that coccidiosis was something only young ones got, but now I know better!


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## casportpony

Jabberwocky said:


> I ave noticed that there has been no new articles. That the forum seems to be not as active. Was wondering about it. As I like this website and forum. The recent spammer attack made me wonder. Are the admin(s) even bothering.
> 
> I agree with powderhogg01. Possibly, it is time for a changing of the guard.


I thought about writing an article or two, but I would want to retain ownership of it.


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## seminole wind

Kathy or anyone can write articles and I'll pin them and take some old one down. 
THe admin says that they want the members to make this forum the way they want. Suggestions are totally welcome !


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## seminole wind

casportpony said:


> I thought about writing an article or two, but I would want to retain ownership of it.


Why would you not retain ownership of it?


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## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> Why would you not retain ownership of it?


Because that's what is implied here: http://www.chickenforum.com/f39/submit-article-free-premium-membership-1721/


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## Alaskan

Ooh, I have issues with this one:

"Every article must be original and not posted anywhere else before or after submitting it here"

Then I can't just move over my coop articles from BYC.


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## casportpony

I do understand why it says what it does, but maybe someday I'll want to publish something, and that basically says that I couldn't. Pretty sure other forums have the same rules, which is why I haven't bothered doing any articles in other forums.


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## 8hensalaying

casportpony said:


> Because that's what is implied here: http://www.chickenforum.com/f39/submit-article-free-premium-membership-1721/


The way I took it was that IF they gave you an upgraded membership, then they owned the article. In effect you are purchasing your one yr upgraded membership with your article. If not they I would think you retained the rights. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is the way it sounded to me.


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## Nm156

If they don't retain ownership , then one day the author could want monetary gain from the website. BYC has the same rules as with most other websites.

* By joining BackYardChickens and posting/uploading comment, images, ideas, etc. you are giving BackYardChickens full rights to use this content. If you decide to leave the BackYardChickens community, BackYardChickens will not be required to remove your content. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/terms-of-service


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## Nm156

By initiating or making any User Contribution and Submission, you automatically agree to grant us and our third party business partners and licensors and each of our and their respective affiliates, licensees, successors and assigns an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, broadcast, stream, create derivative works from, transmit and distribute such User Contribution and Submission, alone or as part of other works in any form, media or technology whether now known or hereafter developed, for any purpose. You hereby waive all rights to any claim against us and our third party business partners and licensors and each of our and their respective affiliates, licensees, successors and assigns for any alleged or actual infringements of any proprietary rights, rights of privacy, rights of publicity, moral rights or "droit moral," and rights of attribution in connection with such User Contribution and Submission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we are not required to use any User Contribution and Submission.
Carbon Media TOS (host of the chicken forum.)

http://www.carbonmedia.com/community/tos/


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## seminole wind

Well there's always putting your article in your own documents and post it as you would a picture. If you delete the article on your computer, it will delete here. I think . I can't try it right now because I have this tablet.

Like I think moving stuff on your laptop breaks the link.


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## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> Ooh, I have issues with this one:
> 
> "Every article must be original and not posted anywhere else before or after submitting it here"
> 
> Then I can't just move over my coop articles from BYC.


Exactly! Oh well.


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## seminole wind

If need be, right click on the coop at byc, hit save as, and it will be back on your pic file.


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## Nm156

Just re-write it instead of a direct copy and paste.


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## casportpony

Nm156 said:


> Just re-write it instead of a direct copy and paste.


Why re-write?


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## casportpony

Alaskan, I saved your article to a word document if that helps.


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## Alaskan

Thanks... But not sure what 
I would do with it.

At some point I might get the inspiration to rewrite it a bit and post here.. but maybe not... Dunno.


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## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> Thanks... But not sure what
> I would do with it.
> 
> At some point I might get the inspiration to rewrite it a bit and post here.. but maybe not... Dunno.


If you don't have a copy of it on your computer it could come in handy if for some reason it disappeared from BYC.


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## Alaskan

Ah! Gotcha!


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## seminole wind

I should go get some of my stuff too. 
YOu know, if I post something, it is mine even if someone thinks it's theirs. Unfortunately there's a group of pics that are un erasable over there. That's annoying.


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## seminole wind

Isn't anything I've copy and pasted still have the original on my laptop?


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## Alaskan

Anything you uploaded will still be on your laptop.


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## seminole wind

Then your hard drive will show that the article was not from another site if need be, therefore you would be the place of origin, and therefore owner in my eyes. The website could own the copy, LOL, and never post someone's work as their own. They would have to give credit to you, right?. Or pay you.


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## Alaskan

I actually am not sure how that would work.

I am sure, if it were a million dollar article  they would argue that I had given up my rights, and it didn't matter that I gad a copy.


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## seminole wind

I went and removed all the pictures I could and saved them to my laptop. There was 100 that are "default" and can't be removed. I just wanted to see if I could.


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