New Header Images

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Afternoon,
Festool has requested that I remove the tool images from the forum header.  The images I am referring to are the nine images of various Festool tools that change each time you refresh the page.  The text is not a problem, but apparently the tools are confusing some people.

The current header images were created by Andrew Ledbetter.  His images were chosen in a contest where we discussed lots of entries (click here), and Andrew's won. 

Replacing these images is a big job!  And I'm not a graphics person!

So, we need help from members who can design and submit a new series of header images to use in our forum.

Here are the specs:
- Submit as many as 10 images as part of a rotating series (make sure the text remains constant).
- Images should be 1000 x 120 pixels.
- Background colors should be bright and light (off white, very light gray, or cream color).
- Text should remain the same as it is now.  We just need new tool images.

If you have any other questions, please post here.

Your help is much appreciated.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Frank Pellow]

Are the images allowed to show Festool tools at all?   For instance, here is one of me using the scraper accesory in the LS 130 to remove dried on tar.  The picture is not exactly the size that you mention, but you get the idea.  What I am thinking is that we could pictures of tools in use by members.

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[nickao]

Frank I agree there is no way they could stop us just taking a picture and using that picture. I have gone through this with companies trying to copy my designs. But if they make the design and then take a picture of their own work, they can post it.

So why not just take a bunch of pictures of the tools we own.

I assume they are complaining that you used pictures from a Festool publication. They can ask whatever they want and you definitely can not use their pictures, but you can use a picture of any tool, Festool or not, if you took the picture yourself and it is your tool.

Nick

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Frank,
Hey, I think you're onto something here!  Yes, maybe a series of photos of various members using Festool tools.  Maybe even members pets with Festool tools.  We could have, say 10 rotating images that could serve the purpose.  Members could submit their photos.

The only catch is, the text "Festool Owners Group" and the subtext "discussions and multimedia zone for Festool tools" need to remain constant.

Keep thinking along those lines!

Nick,
Perhaps you are correct.  I don't know.  I'm not asking questions about this, just trying to do as Festool wishes.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[nickao]

They are getting a little nic picky over free advertising for them. Did they forget this is an enthusiast forum and we like and recommend their tools.

They are alienating me as a Festool user. Not being able to use a picture of a tool in a club singing the praises of most of their tools is counter productive, what the heck are they thinking?

Hey guys post pictures of my inlays all over the place, PLEASE! And link to my site, the more links the better the google placement. I am sure almost any company would love free advertising.

Majestic Medallions

What did the members pay here total in Festool sales? Maybe a million dollars over the years? As a company I do not think they are getting this right.

Whatever.

 

[alanz]

I think the point here is that it's up to the owner of a photograph to determine how it is used and who makes copies  (... the right to make copies, hence the term "copyright").

For all we know, the rights that the company negotiated and paid for from the photographer covered only their exclusive use, and use by their designated agents (distributors, etc.).  Extending those rights might incur additional expense.

If it sounds somewhat clinical... well, I was an advertising photographer for many years (closed my Manhattan studio 20 years ago).

These days, as a non-professional, when folk ask to use my photographs, I generally say it's ok.  However when someone uses it without asking first... then they haven't endeared themselves to me, and I ask them to stop using it.

I don't want to hijaack this thread into a discussion of copyright.  So let's suffice to say that just because you are technically able to make a copy of something doesn't mean you have the right to do so.   Folk don't think about this, and they should.

 

[nickao]

It's given that using someone else's photos and clip art even if copies, is not right.

Its obvious to me that is NOT what this is about or Festool would have objected years ago. This is about slowly distancing this forum more and more from the Festool company, which I have a problem with. Why are they even bothering, this does not hurt the Festool company in any way.

I know they will say "well it makes the site look like its backed by Festool". Well that was fine for them until another forum opened.

Sometime one plus one does equal two and this is highly suspicious to me as to what the motive possibly could  be. I think they may not have liked the way Matthew let negatives be stated about the Kapex and other tool problems, as he should have done. What other reason could there be other than they could demand it, so they are?

I think we can come up with a lot better pictures anyhow. Maybe funny pictures of the guys using their Festools in a unique or non-traditional ways. This is an opportunity to put some character into the site.

 

[Chris Billman]

Festool has requested that I remove the tool images from the forum header.

Why?

 

[nickao]

"I'm not asking questions about this, just trying to do as Festool wishes".

Matthew was asked by Festool to remove the pictures and stated in a prior post he did not ask why.

I already stated what I thought. What can Festool possibly say. The images must belong to Festool and that is enough if they are in fact images taken from a Festool publication.

Nickao

 

[sw1211]

Good Afternoon,
Festool has requested that I remove the tool images from the forum header.  The images I am referring to are the nine images of various Festool tools that change each time you refresh the page.  The text is not a problem, but apparently the tools are confusing some people.

I'd like to meet the morons that are "confused" by the pictures.  Chances are anyone who is confused by the pictures probably can't afford to buy anything that comes in a systainer. 

 

[danrush]

Steve,  you're right.  First outloud chuckle I've had here in a while!!!

Matthew,  I'm not a computer guy, and I know you stated earlier it may be difficult, but.. 

What about displaying the monthly tool winner's project on the headers?  Or even offering the header as a 2nd place prize?

Just a thought, Dan

 

[nickao]

I always thought "Festool Users Group" or just "Festool Users" was a better name than "Festool Owners Group".

I "use" the tools and not just "own" them to collect.

Nickao

 

[peter halle]

Why is it that we at this forum tend to mind f___ ourselves.  I had to call my brother in law today and ask to borrow back my own pressure washer that I loaned to him months ago.  How stupid of me.  I own thae darned thing.  Well, in a parellel universe, the images are the same.  Somebody else owns the rights and wants them back.  His right.  Just be like Nike and do it.  I / we would do it with a tool without the need to discuss it on the internet or ask other peoples their opinions.  No big deal.

I would suggest that we use a random assortment of photos from the gallery and that Matthew add a disclaimure that ahny photos posted in the gallery may be used without prior notificaton to the owner and without prior permission and without compensation for a period not to exceed 1 year, or something lkie that.

Peter

 

[nclemmons]

Hey Matthew -

i took 10 minutes and I went to FWW's galleries to grab images that had a white background that were professionally photographed.   I am NOT suggesting we use these images, only looking to explore how we could showcase the work, rather than the tools.

They actually look pretty good when you lay them into the header.   Some obvious cleanup would be needed to deal with shadows.  I think the key is either to define a frame within the header where the images would be, or ensure the images are on a white background so they effectively blend into the header.

Food for thought. 

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[attachimg=3]

neil

 

[woodshopdemos]

I vote for some pretty ladies...starting with Beth maybe...

 

[Joemac]

How about getting some empty Festool boxes- a lot of empty Festool boxes and lugging them over to the sidewalk by your local Harbor Freight store, line 'em up in front and take some photos?  Think a few pictures of Festool images co-mingled with Harbor Freight would raise the systolic pressure levels in Deutchland? ;D ;D ;D

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Morning,
Thanks everyone for all your ideas so far.  I think we have an opportunity here to take a challenge and come up with something that improves the forum.

Regarding the reasons Festool requested that I remove the photos: I really did not pursue it with them.  This forum must have a friendly connection with the company, but also remain independent.  That means that in situations like this I actually don't want to know too much about internal, corporate reasoning.  They requested that I remove the photos and they said it is confusing people.  I took that as good enough to make the change.

I like the idea of having rotating photos of members using Festool tools, and I also like the idea of using photos of member projects.  We can do both!

We could use a combination of photos, all of them rotating in the header randomly between projects and photos of members in action.  Even better, people can always contribute to the stock of photos, and each month I could add new ones!

As long as the text remains constant, and the photos are the same size, there is no limit how many images we can have.

So, how about this...

1. Let's have people submit photos they would like to see in the header.  We already have one from Frank Pellow.  Who else has an action photo to share?
2. Can someone help me design a "template" that contains the text and a kind of "drop in" area where I can insert the photos to create new header images?

I'm open to more comments and suggestions on how to make this an opportunity to improve the forum.

Thanks everyone,
Matthew

PS: Just so everyone is clear, we were using those header images with the full blessing of Festool.  They approved the headers, and even supplied prizes when we had the header image contest a while back.  So this is not a contentious issue in any way.  Something has changed in what Festool wants, and they have asked me to comply with that.  No reason to read anything else into this.

 

[Frank Pellow]

...

2. Can someone help me design a "template" that contains the text and a kind of "drop in" area where I can insert the photos to create new header images?

...

Thanks everyone,
Matthew

Matthew I sent you a 120 by 1200 template by email.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Frank,
Thank you for sending the template.  I think that system will work very well.  The great thing about this is that people can submit photos any time they want, and I can drop them into the header.  That way, we can have new images added from time to time.

For everyone to see, I am attaching Frank's template, which contains a photo of him working with a Festool sander.  Let's work out the size needed for photos to fit into the template, then we can open it up to other contributions.

Here are my ideas for photos that can be included in the header:
- Members using Festool tools (like the one Frank submitted)
- Member projects (with a Festool tool in the scene)
- Just a picture of a tool (or tools), perhaps in a shop situation

So, what do members have?  Submit your photos here in this discussion and let's see where we go with it.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[John Langevin]

Great ideas, all! I gotta vote for John Lucas' idea though, how about a "FESTOOL Fraulein of the Month"? In all honesty at some point I get tired of looking at just powertools !