Sunday, August 26, 2012
Protect Your Resources!
As I was stalking Pinterest, I ran across this symbol and it freaked me out a little! What this symbol is saying is that people (probably people who are not even teachers) can take the PDFs that we work so hard on, and turn them into an editable document that they can change into whatever they want!
This is why everyone needs to take their time when creating teacher resources. There is a simple fix for this problem. After you create your document, save each of the pages as a picture. I always make mine a high resolution png file so that it is a good quality pic.
I then create another document that I call my 'final' document. I don't want to save over my original file. I may need to go back in and edit something, and you can't do that with the picture. I then put my pictures in for each page.
If you have links that you want people to be able to click, do NOT save them into your picture. I embed my links into little pictures so that they don't get black streaks. Making pics of your pages will also stop the problem that people have with streaks!
I know that most people are honest, and would probably not do anything but change a little thing here or there. However, we all know that there are people out there who take a good thing and use it for evil.
Hope you're having a fab weekend!
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Wow! Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteWow! I didn't know that! Thanks Hilary!
ReplyDeleteSwimming into Second
Thanks so much for the info. I had no idea this was even possible!
ReplyDelete❤ -Stephanie
Falling Into First
This is so fabulous! You must have read my mind! I was trying to give away my first freebie today and I realized that after I saved it a a PDF the pictures still could be copied. Now I know exactly how to fix that problem. You are my hero!
ReplyDeletePixy Stix and Teacher Tricks
Thanks! LOL
DeleteHilary :)
Thanks for the tip... yikes! Holy Guacamole... I did not know that was possible!
ReplyDelete- Michele
Multiage Moments
Thanks for this info!
ReplyDeletewow, you are all so greedy..the point of pinterest, etc is to share and collaborate.
ReplyDeleteWhat's greedy is customers who assume that they can a) rip off hours beyond hours of incredibly hard work, and b) rip off the designers whom we use in our products. Besides helping with formatting, there is one main point to a seller making a product in PDF format: protection of copyright. Believe it or not, if we created products in, say a Word doc, and just sold them that way, there are tons of customers who would change one tiny thing and then re-post the item in their own store, completely disrespecting all the hours of work and thought we put into the product. Furthermore -- and almost more importantly -- is the graphic designs' Terms of Use. We purchase clipart to use in products with our own money, and those designers work very hard. If we don't secure their graphics in our products, then a) the designer gets jipped because anyone could "lift" those graphics for themselves for FREE, and b) the sellers and thousands of other people who have already purchased that clipart get jipped because we did the RIGHT thing by paying for clipart, while someone else mindlessly stole it.
DeleteIt is never an issue of greed; it is an issue of following the LAW (copyright) and having INTEGRITY.
~Mrs. K. from The Teacher Garden Blog
Thank you so much for your comments. I didn't know what to say to that! :) You ROCK!
DeleteHilary
I second (or third) that!! I don't even create documents, but I respect the time, talents, and ideas of those who do. I am so thankful that there are resources that others create FOR US...many are FREE! THANK YOU if you are one who creates resources for us to purchase from you!
DeleteSince I am not only a teacher but also a digital scrapbook kit designer, I already knew about this...I guess I just figured that everyone making teacher resources knew about it too. I am sorry that as teachers we have to be so careful about protecting our work. However, I've been doing it for years with the scrapbook kits.
ReplyDeleteDee
Mrs. B's Nook
Here's another view point:
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to change PDFs to Word because often the documents other people create are rendered useless if you can't "change one tiny thing" (as stated in another comment). There was an item I ran across last week. It was perfect, except my grade level was not one of the versions offered. I asked the creator if she'd be willing to adjust that. No response. So I moved on. Will I go back to her store? Not likely. Time is precious to all of us, and I'm going to deal with sellers who respond. But if I had the option to adjust "1st" grade to "2nd" I'd hang around to see what else she had to offer.
Hilary, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your work. I look forward to seeing what you create and am willing to purchase items I can use. I appreciate all your freebies. You offer top quality items.
I will NOT steal, repost, disrespect, or violate terms of your work. When fellow teachers ask where I get my ideas, I give credit where credit is due.
But the tone of your post and especially that of Mrs. K seems to assume we all are a bunch of jackers. (Sorry to learn that.) And quite frankly I'm a little put off by the tone. I recognize there are dishonest people in the world. And unfortunately, just as soon as you figure out how to protect your documents, they will figure out how to bypass the system. But not everyone who would seek to utilize a PDF changer is dishonest.
I am one of those who looked, with interest, into programs that convert PDFs into Word documents. Really, seriously, all I wanted was the option to change "one tiny thing" on some documents, thereby making a document I was purchasing tailored to the specific needs of my classroom. Nothing more.
Please don't let all the rotten apples spoil your faith in the rest of us!
Submitted with deep respect and appreciation for your work!
Chris Yazzie, a newsletter subscriber
Hi Chris,
DeleteI'm sorry if I came across snide, that wasn't my intention at all! It really isn't so much the words that I worry about, but the clip art that I have to have a license to use in my products. I value you as a follower and would definitely fix something like a grade level for you. I've fixed products to make them Canadian friendly several times! :) I have actually run across one of my products being sold on another site with my name taken off. It seems like the few always have to wreck it for the rest of us. I'm so sorry...I hope you know, I really didn't mean to upset anyone. :(
Thanks for your comment and for following.
Hilary
Thanks for your response. I'm am sorry for the selfishness of another (or others) with which you have had to deal.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've seen it too. I came across a product for sale on TpT that I instantly recognized as a copycat of something a retired teacher had available on her website for free. It was an old, old site that I had happily discovered by accident a few years back (long before blogs and TpT). I sent a message to the seller, but she didn't seem phased. ??? I don't know all the rules/protocols of selling, but I do know that it did't seem right.
I truly believe that we reap what we sow. At some point, those who are dishonest will face difficulty, difficulty they could avoid if they would acknowledge their actions, make amends, and consciously seek to make better choices. After all, how do we teach our students integrity if we ourselves do not practice it? Nonetheless, I will seek to look for the good in people. I know it exists, even though sometimes the ugliness of some temporarily overshadows the good of many.
Hillary, I understand that you would want to protect your work. I only hoped to let you know that not every misuses the PDF converter. And I'll tell a tale on myself ... even though I looked into to it, I couldn't figure it out. *smile*
I wish you best of luck as you continue with your products. I have always been impressed with your work. I will continue be one of your followers. You rock!
Thank you Chris...You rock as well! :)
DeleteHilary