Question About Graphic Files Bandwidth Usage On Web Boards

[Kenzilla]

Hi,

I recently posted on a certain web board and included some photos in the post, not links to photos or thumbnails. The admins of the board deleted the links to the photos and I'm sure I know why.

It is my perception that posts that included a link to call a graphic file to the body of a post do not put a bandwidth "drag" on the server hosting the board if the graphic files are hosted on another server. The board host merely includes the code that when parsed by the viewers browser calls the the file from the hosting server (where the grahic file is hosted) to the viewers computer. The "transaction" is between the that machine and the viewers machine and is not a drag on the forum host.

Is this correct?

Before I say anything about it I want to be sure.

If someone has a more succinct explanation of this I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,

Ken

[monkeythumpa]

You are correct, but does the board allow you to post photos? The admins can do whatever they want.

[geekay]

I for one find it most welcome if board administrations have started to delete such links to images residing on other sites.

Hotlinking is exploiting the bandwidth of another server, and the board admins can't know if the poster has or not has permission to make use of that bandwidth.

[Matt Probert]

I for one find it most welcome if board administrations have started to delete such links to images residing on other sites.
Hotlinking is exploiting the bandwidth of another server, and the board admins can't know if the poster has or not has permission to make use of that bandwidth.

Oh here here!

Hotlinking is a major problem. We had to instigate a ban on it because of the thousands of instances we were experiencing.

Matt