Template talk:Fair use reduce

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What's the definition of "low resolution"? We're still working out guidelines on that! Please see the draft at Wikipedia:Fair use/Definition of "low resolution" and leave your comments on the talk page. --Fastfission 19:37, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Deletion?

Should there be a time limit for deletion? Notification of the uploader would be nice if we're serious about deleting them; I'll start notifying people for images that I've tagged. Chick Bowen 16:56, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure it matters much, really. Image rescaling is such a trivial operation (one can just download and reupload a thumbnail) that it hardly makes sense to delete images for that reason alone. Not that I'm actually opposed to allowing it in principle, but I see no reason to do so in practice.

In fact, I'm not even sure if tagging an image with this template is any less work than rescaling it yourself. The only major advantage for the template that I can see is that it could be easily placed automatically on all large fair use images without having to worry about what the most appropriate size for each image is. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 18:18, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

Fair enough. I'm mostly interested in the template to advertise the rule, particularly for repeat offenders. I imagine I'd actually start deleting stuff only if someone were persistently uploading dozens of high-resolution images despite warnings. But yes, it is easy enough to replace them, and I've done that too. Chick Bowen 18:29, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] An easy way to scale down images

1. Set a suitably low value, like 320x240, for "Limit images on image description pages to" in your preferences ("Files" tab).
2. Open the image description page of the image you want to scale down.
3. Save the image shown to your computer.
4. Click "Upload a new version of this file" and upload the image you just saved.
5. Ask an admin to delete the original by replacing this template with {{Fair use reduced|~~~~~}}.

—Ilmari Karonen (talk) 18:40, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

I don't think this method is ideal as it would allow what is still a much too large a size for landscape and square shaped images. I would limit landscape and square images to 320px width, and limit portrait images to 320px height. Arniep 20:02, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

Fair enough, changed to 320x240. The exact value of "suitably low", of course, depends of the image and its use in Wikipedia. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 10:43, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

For some very tall thin images this may not produce a useful image, in which case a graphics progam should be used (Microsoft Paint is included with most versions of Windows). Arniep 13:50, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

If 320px is not the exact value of "suitably low" and if it depends of the image and its use in Wikipedia, are there any guidelines for it?

We are trying to develop them still, see Wikipedia:Fair use/Definition of "low resolution". --Fastfission 19:36, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Gross misunderstandings of Resolution

It appears to me from the existence of "Fair use reduce" that a number of users do NOT understand what resolution means. It has NOTHING to do with SIZE. It is simply the number of pixels per unit surface area. High resolution is something on the order of 300 dpi or 12 dpmm. Low resolution is something like 100 dpi or 4 dpmm. --Fahrenheit451 11:52, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Your definition of resolution is essentially correct. However, keep in mind what this template requests is compliance with point 3 of the Wikipedia fair use policy, which says that "The amount of copyrighted work used should be as little as possible." This can be equivalently interpreted as either "as low resolution as possible at a reasonable size" or "as small as possible at a reasonable resolution". Either way, what the policy says we should do is provide only as much image data (i.e. pixels) as necessary for encyclopedic use.

To put it another way, there is no actual difference between a 6" by 4" image at 300 ppi and a 18" by 12" image at 100 ppi, except perhaps for a "size in inches" setting in the image header. Both contain 1800x1200 pixels of actual image data, and both are almost certainly way too large for a fair use image on Wikipedia. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 18:23, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Actually, as I've already pointed out to this user, DPI is used for printed images, and is not the definition of resolution. But still, very good points brought up by Ilmari. -- Ned Scott 06:20, 27 October 2006 (UTC)

Ilmari Karonen's point is correct, but size and resolution are by definition different things. Ned Scott keeps stating that pixels per unit surface area is NOT the definition of resolution, but ironically, does not offer a substitute definition!--Fahrenheit451 21:54, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

Huh? I gave a cited definition, then I liked to three other dictionary sources and linked the Wikipedia article on DPI. How much more exact do I need to be?

Here it is again, if you missed it on Wikipedia talk:Fair use:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/resolution says: "the degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or the number of pixels across and down on a display screen."

Also:

• http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/resolution
• http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=67252&dict=CALD
• http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/resolution

The article Dots per inch says: "Dots per inch (DPI) is a measure of printing resolution, in particular the number of individual dots of ink a printer or toner can produce within a linear one-inch space."

-- Ned Scott 01:25, 29 October 2006 (UTC)

I have missed nothing because there is also screen resolution which is pixels per unit surface area. If you think this definition is wrong, then just supply a better one.--Fahrenheit451 03:57, 29 October 2006 (UTC)

It is wrong, see my reply on Wikipedia talk:Fair use. -- Ned Scott 04:17, 29 October 2006 (UTC)

I opine that the relevant guideline on resolution should contain your comments. If there is none, then it should be created.--Fahrenheit451 01:15, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Your input would be useful here: Wikipedia_talk:Fair_use#Request_for_proposals_on_Threshold_of_High_Resolution.--Fahrenheit451 03:52, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for the pointer. I've added a note there pointing to this branch of the discussion. I think we should continue any further discussion about this topic over there, insofar as it doesn't specifically relate to this particular template. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 06:14, 27 October 2006 (UTC)