Talk-line: stolen sigs

Vincent Raymond <vin...@julia.icdc.fr>, in his collection, included:
>
>=============================  Sun Leen Fai Lok!  =============================
> * Year of the Pig! *                                      BONNE ANNEE !!!! 
>          __             |,  ,   ||         |'    ,        A TOUS ET TOUTES
>        '/..\^            |||" ''||'',,   |''''||''''  
>__||____( 00.)___||__  ,|'|; ,,,,;;,;;,  '     ||  ,    __||______________||__
>--||----" -- "---||--    ,||    ,;;''      ||''||''''   --||--------------||--
>  ||    ( .  )   ||    ,|'||  ,||''||      ||  ||    ,    ||Pascal ZEMBRA || 
>__||____(\__/)___||__     ||,;'||,,||    ''''''||'''''' __||______________||__
>--||-----"--"----||--   , ||   ||  ||          ||       --||----'/..\"----||--
>  ||             ||      ||'   |''''|          ||         ||   m( 00 )m   || 
>                                                         o...@corser.far.cea.fr
>=============================  Gong Hei Fat Choy!  ============================

Hate to say it, but this sig was stolen from me in the strictest sense of
the word.  All that this person did was strip off my name and address and
replace it with his/her own.  Someone had asked before whether it was ok to
"steal" a sig.  Many of us on the newsgroup give a resounding no.  However, at
least for me, if one of my sigs is to be used, a little mention of my name
and/or a little change around (or "diddle) of the artwork so that it's not
exactly the same would be appreciated.  Many of the other sigs by this person
(not Vincent Raymond but Pascal Zembra) were also direct copies of other
well-known sigs on this newsgroup. 

Now this isn't supposed to be bitter post, but just to inform the gentle
readers that sig stealing is not an acceptable practice.  People put in time,
effort, and brain power in order to come up with sigs - and to have someone
just strip off one's name and address is a little heartbreaking for the
creator.  Also, sigs are supposed to be of a distinct & personal nature (much
like their namesake, that no two person's handwriting is the same) and there
is just something amiss about knowing that there is another sig out there just
like your own.  Now imitation is a form of flattery, which I am deeply honored
by, but copying exactly (which is not the same as imitating) is a sign of
unoriginality and laziness.

So please, don't steal sigs.  Ask first if you really really are unable to
come up with anything or if a particular sig answers a particular need in your
life which can not be expressed in any other way.  I'm sure the creator will
be more than happy to help you in your cause.  Thanks for reading.

[off the soapbox]

-- Daniel

Original Sig:
============================  Sun Leen Fai Lok!  =============================
 * Year of the Pig! *                                        Daniel C. Au
          __             |,  ,   ||         |'    ,        NU Medical School
        '/..\^            |||" ''||'',,   |''''||''''      Chicago, Illinois
__||____( 00.)___||__  ,|'|; ,,,,;;,;;,  '     ||  ,    __||______________||__
--||----" -- "---||--    ,||    ,;;''      ||''||''''   --||--------------||--
  ||    ( .  )   ||    ,|'||  ,||''||      ||  ||    ,    || dca...@nwu.edu || 
__||____(\__/)___||__     ||,;'||,,||    ''''''||'''''' __||______________||__
--||-----"--"----||--   , ||   ||  ||          ||       --||----'/..\"----||--
  ||             ||      ||'   |''''|          ||         ||   m( 00 )m   || 

============================  Gong Hei Fat Choy!  ============================

I read with interest the posting about stolen sigs. I really don't know 
where the original of my sig came from, as it was sent to me some time 
ago by a friend. I have altered it to suit me, and as you can see added 
my own name. I would like to thank the person who created it but 
unfortunately can't give them any credit as I don't know who it was done by!!
If the creator wants to get in touch then feel free to do so......Helen.

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