i think your's is a good attitude mrsparky.  whether we try and restrict or not people will steal images.  if we encourage people to use our images, at least for personal use such as wallpapers etc. we or should i say you have more chance of your work at least being attributed to you by the person using it. often it's the restrictive practice that stops people giving an attribution. it makes people more aware that they're being given something and as such they tend to show a little more respect. things like asking if they can use an image on a personal web page if they say or link back who it belongs too. and as you say you get more thanks and also more feedback.

personally i feel allowing someone too use one of your images on a personel web page that doesn't sell anything pretty much the same as putting it in a gallery...as long as it does say who the creator is and possibly have a link back to the persons site or store. of course only if the creator gives their permission........you know my feelings about people saying you can't use stuff for wallpapers lmao.....but allowing images personel websites can create income if they're linked back to a store. jmo

 

billy