My short answer is "Terms of Service" (or TOS). As many others replied, most embroidery digitizers/website owners do not allow sharing THEIR designs. Most encourage site visitors to share the URL or website address.
My long answer is each website has a "Terms of Service" link including CuteAlphabets. Just scroll to the bottom and click on Veronika's link, "Terms and Conditions".
I agree with the others and applaud you for asking. (I like to think of it this way: Just because my Father said I could borrow his car today, it doesn't mean I can let anyone borrow it tomorrow.)
Looks like you got the answer. Yes, we would all love to share. I think that is human nature. But we do need to read the disclaimers that are posted on all sites. Most sites have you check that you understand and accept the conditions- So, guess what- I believe that makes it legally binding.
Thanks for asking, Lr. As the others have said, you were right the first time. Most sites who have freebies tell you to have people go to the site to download them. Directing people to the site to download their own freebie is the correct thing to do. Just for general information for those who might not have thought about it: the digitizer gives free designs on her/his website in order to attract people to the website, where they may see other designs they like, and to give people a chance to sew out the digitizer's work to see its quality. Websites can also tell how many people have downloaded the freebie, and some are rated on number of 'hits', all kinds of complicated stuff goes into this. Think of free designs as 'advertising' for the digitizer, because as nice & wonderful as most of these people are, I'm sure they're not on a government grant program to provide free designs to the embroidery world. They are trying to make money & feed their kids just like all of us. So, direct people to their web sites for the freebies. I don't see why anyone would find a problem with going to another site to pick up a free design if they wanted it so badly. Know it's wordy, but I hope it helps the newbies out there who don't understand this part yet.
Nice to ask, I hope everyone reads your question and the answers. It seems to me some people don't want to understand, however hard you try to explain. And I don't mean YOU. Hope it stops.. Flower for you.
lr, I know you understand about copyright, so, definitely no lecture from me. But someone once explained it to me this way - when you buy, or download a freebie, you are given the right to embroider that design on to whatever you want, *but*, the actual design still belongs to the digitiser. I think that was a good way to explain it, have fun and a flower for you, and as long as you do the correct thing, you don't have to worry about others who don't. That keeps things simple doesn't it?
As the others have said, it doesn't matter the circumstances under which you recieved the design. Unless you have been given the legal right to it, the design can not be given to anyone in digitial format. The person who was attempting to have you send designs by email was being underhanded and you were right in questioning it. Here's a flower for your integrity! =]
thank you..I wasnt sure since it was someone from this site and I thought they wouldnt lie to me like that..bummer
No.. But you can give them the site for them to download it themself..Seems silly but that's the way it is
short answer...no. The legality is in transmitting it. ;)
thank you..i thought you could give them the web address but not the designs but someone on here tried to tell me otherwise and asked for my designs in a personal email..